Lamentation
by HimekawaRie
Summary: 400 years is an awfully long space of time. Add a bunch of shinigami, yumemi, and several onmyoji, plus a mad doctor, and what do you get? Probably a way for those two fools to get some form of happiness
1. Prologue

_This is a prologue of a ten-chapter length I made based on my listening to Lamentation over and over again, desperately trying to GET the words clearly... thanks a lot for the lyric! _

_This is a semi-crossover fic. You'll find people from other animes walking around, some merely passerby and some hold the key to the fic. But all in all, this is an MoB fic. The inserted characters happened because I don't know many people in MoB world..._

_sigh..._

_I've only watched the thirteen episodes of MoB, so I'm going to ignore everything that happened after (or before) that... I'll try not to ruin anything, though... _

_This happened a few weeks (or months) after the 'pier incident'..._

_R/R are greatly appreciated!_

**Lamentation**

**Prologue**

Naoe Nobutsuna has a secret.

It is a secret so well kept, that not even Uesugi Kenshin knew about it.

It is a place where he can retreat to whenever things get too rough or too much for him to handle.

It is a place where he can mope and sulk and pout and whine and curse and scream and cry as he'd like, as much as he'd like.

For four hundred years that place had been his sanctuary. After all, no one can come there unless he lets them.

He let some accompany him there, of course. But only his kind can enter the place, and there weren't plenty. And from those not plenty, only some actually had the chance of getting into his sanctuary.

It was his paradise, considering that he's not allowed to die.

Then again, even if he dies, he'll never go to heaven.

He loves the green grass and tall trees there. He loves the wind and the smell of flowers. He loves the roaring sound of waves and the trickling sound of river. He loves the high mountains and the cold snow.

He loves how he can make it the way he wants it to be.

Too bad he can't make people there.

But it's okay. The place gives him a time to be himself. To be unburdened by his duties, even if only for some time.

And Naoe's very much drawn with the thought of staying there forever.

You see, Naoe Nobutsuna is a Yumemi.

A dreamgazer.

He was driving when it hit him.

There was a screeching sound so loud. There were broken glasses everywhere around him. There was chaos everywhere. There was fire, and the smell of gasoline.

There was a bright light in front of him, and the world spun around him.

He tried to find something to hold on to, but darkness crept into his eyes.

_Is it time?_

His only regret was that he'd never see his master again.

Gomen, minna-san… Sayonara, Kagetora-sama… Takaya-san… A… i… shi… te… 

A firm hand grabbed his, and he was pulled up.

"Takaya?"

Ougi Takaya blinked, and looked at his best friend, Narita Yuzuru.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. It's just…"

"What?"

"I seemed to hear someone call me…"

"Eh? I heard nothing."

Takaya shook his head, "It's probably nothing anyway."

Yuzuru looked uncertain, but he let it go.

Takaya himself wasn't sure that it was nothing.

The voice called for Kagetora-sama. For Takaya.

The voice said goodbye.

The voice declared love.

It sounded like Naoe.

Takaya heard the sound of ringing phone, but he ignored it. Yuzuru and Saori were bent over a table with him, working on another school project. Yuhiko was sitting beside Saori, helping them by reading a book out loud, carefully outlining the history of the Uesugi family.

Takaya had a fit when their history teacher gave their group THAT family to do report on.

Fate works in a cruel way.

There was a knock on the door, and Miya's voice called, "Niichan! It's for you!"

"Eh?" Takaya was surprised. Not many people call him. The only ones who do call him are…

Miya opened the door and gave the phone to her brother, then plopped down beside Yuzuru, looking at the red-dots he's putting on a map, "So, how far had you gone?"

Takaya grumbled about the Gods being against him, and put the phone next to his ears, "Hello, Ougi Takaya speaking."

"Ougi-san?" a man's voice which he'd never heard before spoke haltingly.

"Yes. Do I know you?"

"Eh… no… but… I know you. I mean… I've heard about you. Not really, though…"

Takaya frowned, the man was not making much sense, "Well… Can you give me your name, then?"

The man hesitated, "It's… Tachibana."

Something clicked inside Takaya's head, "Are you… related with… uh... Tachibana Yoshiaki?"

"Ah," the man sounded relieved, "So you do know my son."

_HIS SON????!!!_

_Whoops…_

"Yes, Sir… I know Na… eh… I mean… Yoshiaki-san…"

His friends and sister had stopped whatever they were doing, and were looking at him curiously.

Takaya shrugged his shoulder, "Is there anything I can help you, Sir?"

"Yes… maybe…"

"If you want to ask me where Yoshiaki-san is, I'm afraid I don't know. I haven't seen him in weeks."

"No… No. I know where Yoshiaki is. It's… it's about something else."

"Yes?" Takaya was intrigued.

"I think… I think we should meet, Ougi-san. There's something… there's something I need to talk to you about face to face."

"Eh?" Takaya was confused, "Can't we talk on the phone?"

"No… it'll be too… odd. We really need to meet, Ougi-san."

"Okay… when?"

"What about now?"

"EH?!? But it's already late…"

"You can tell me your address. I'll send a car to pick you up."

"Pick me up to where? I have a school tomorrow, Sir…"

"It won't take long… I hope."

Takaya shook his head, "Okay, then. But I'm bringing my friends. They also know Yoshiaki-san."

"Yes… that'll be very good. May I have address?"

Instead of giving the man his home address, Takaya told him to meet them in a restaurant near their school. After all, he doesn't know who the man is. Anyone could easily use the Tachibana name and lure him out.

Something in him screamed in alarm.

Yuzuru looked at him as he put down the phone.

"Who is it?"

"A man who claimed to be Naoe's father," Takaya answered warily, "He wants to meet me."

"Eh?"

"He's sending a car to the café near school."

"I'm going with you," Yuzuru reached out for his bag and stuffed his books in.

Saori and Yuhiko did the same, "We're coming, too," Saori chirped.

"Eh?" Miya looked surprised.

Takaya looked at his sister and felt something tugged in him.

"You're coming too, Miya-chan. Change your clothes. Wear jeans and jacket."

Miya didn't bother to ask. When her brother tells her to do something, she simply obeys. After all, it's not like Takaya had ever told her to do anything before…

Takaya took the phone beside him and dialed Haruie's number.

When the car came to the round-the-clock café, Haruie and Nagahide had joined them. Takaya, Yuzuru, and Miya rode in that car, while Saori and Yuhiko rode with Nagahide, Haruie following on her motorbike.

Takaya tried to ask the driver for any information at all, but all he said was that Tachibana-sama asked him to pick up a man named Ougi Takaya and his friends.

The rest of the trip was spent in silence.

In the café, Nagahide had voiced his concern of a possible trap, and Haruie had tried to contact Naoe to both his house and his cell, but no one answered.

Takaya had waved off their concern, saying that even if it's a trap, he had both Nagahide and Haruie to protect him. And it's not like he can't take care of himself, damn it!

Miya simply listened to the conversation, and her eyes shone as she heard the name Kagetora. Takaya could see how his sister's bright mind worked to put the puzzle together.

Frankly, he didn't care. She'd bound to know, sooner or later.

The car made a right turn, and entered a parking lot.

"Eh?" Yuzuru looked startled, "Takaya… It's a hospital…"

They were asked to wait in a waiting room.

Takaya couldn't sit still. The alarm bell in his head is ringing very loud, and his heart's beating twice as fast. He fidgeted, he walked around the room restlessly, he bit his nail…

Naoe's father asked for a meeting with him in the hospital.

Takaya was worried.

Haruie, fiddling with her jacket cuff, looked almost as anxious as he was. Nagahide sat, no, sprawled, on a chair, his long legs stretched out in a relaxed posture, but there's something in the way his shoulder tensed that told Takaya that the older man was not as relaxed as he seemed to be. Saori and Yuhiko kept on stealing glance at the door, and Yuzuru was looking at his every movement.

Takaya was more than worried. Takaya was anxious.

The door opened, and a mid-aged man entered with a silvery white-haired doctor.

"Ougi-san?" the mid-aged man asked.

Takaya strode over to him and took his proffered hand, "Ougi Takaya desu. You are Tachibana-san?"

"Yes. I'm sorry that we have to meet like this. I'm at my wits end, and the only one I can think of is you."

"It's Yoshiaki-san, isn't it?" Takaya heard his own voice quivered, "Something's wrong with him."

"Tachibana-san, Ougi-san, why don't we take a seat?" the doctor gestured at the empty seats around them.

Takaya instinctively took the middle chair, Haruie and Saori at his right side with Yuzuru, Nagahide and Yuhiko on his left side with Miya, the Yasashuu taking both ends of the half circle.

Tachibana-san and the doctor sat in front of them.

"These are my friends, Narita, Morino, Takeda, Chiaki, and Kadowaki. This is my sister," Takaya introduced his companions quickly.

"I am Tachibana Yoshiaki's father. This is Muraki-sensei He's the one who's… er…"

"I was the one at was on duty when Tachibana Yoshiaki-san was admitted yesterday morning," the doctor said coolly.

Takaya's heart sank, "Admitted?"

"Yes. Yoshiaki-san was… quite severely injured."

"Injured?" Haruie inquired, her eyes wide, "What happened?"

Muraki-sensei looked at Tachibana-san, who sighed heavily.

"We found your name from Asaoka Maiko-san, whose cell-phone was listed in our temple's contract book. Unfortunately, she only remembers your surname, so we spent 24 hours calling every Ougi-san listed in the area phone book."

"What happened?" asked Haruie again.

"Yoshiaki… he…"

"Yoshiaki-san had an accident. His car was hit by a truck," the doctor said sympathetically.

Takaya's breath caught in his throat.

"How is he?" asked Nagahide, the ever-practical one.

"I won't lie to you. His condition is not good. But… that's not why we called you."

"Oh?"

Muraki-sensei looked at the people in front of him closely, "In the wreckage of his car, the police found an old katana, and a will tied to it."

"A what?" Yuzuru looked alarmed.

"A will. This," Tachibana-san took out a long white envelope from his jacket, and offered it to Takaya. Takaya didn't move.

Nagahide took the envelope instead, his eyes as hard as steel. Carefully, he took out a folded simple paper from it. Looking at Haruie, who nodded, he unfolded the letter, and read the words loud enough for them to hear.

_My dear family and friends,_

_When you read this letter, I can safely assume that I'm already dead. Please understand, this is not something I can avoid, and I've known that when this day comes, I'd be alone. This is my wish, this is what I deserve. _

_Tousama, Kaasama, Aniue, Niisama, Neesama, I thank you for your kind acceptance and understanding. You're the only true family I've ever had. With all of my heart and soul, Nobutsuna thank you._

_Nagahide, Haruie, I thank you for your companionship all this long, for keeping up with me even when I don't deserve it. Take care of Kagetora-sama, for I cannot do it anymore. Tell Irobe-san that I'm sorry for my inability to carry on the sacred duty given to me… _

_My time is up, I'm done for. It's time for my atonement. But those two… they are young._

_Live on. And tell him… tell him to live as he wants. This old dog won't be around anymore to remind him of what he doesn't want to acknowledge. If you can… let him live his life peacefully. Set him free…_

_They're not only young, Nagahide, Haruie. They're children…_

_There's a key in this envelope. It's the key for a safe deposit box in Nakayama Bank. I put all of the wealth I have there. Give some to him, so he can support himself and his sister, and the rest… Just do what you want with it. Distribute them equally among my family and you, or put them into charity…it's a wealth I never deserve to have. _

_Tell him… tell him I'm sorry… It's time for me to pay for my sin, a sin that cannot be forgiven, even after a thousand years. I don't expect him to forgive me, but I have to ask._

_And tell him…_

_Tell him I love him…_

_I'm sorry, for not holding on… For leaving… For giving up… But I cannot help it. And I… I will not be seeing you anymore._

_I'm too tired, Nagahide, Haruie… Call me a coward if you want… But it's too much… Far too much…_

_In the end, I am merely a soul ceased to exist long ago._

_It's time for me to go. _

_I thank you all. For the life. For the love. For the friendship._

_Naoe Nobutsuna is forever indebted to you._

_With all of my heart and soul, I salute you one last time._

_Tachibana Yoshiaki._

Haruie clamped her hands on her mouth, tears in her eyes. Saori and Yuhiko were looking at each other, eyes wide. Yuzuru leaned over to grasp Takaya's arm, while Miya entwined her fingers to her brother's cold ones. Nagahide folded the letter neatly and replaced it in the envelope; his hands shook ever so slightly.

Takaya himself was beyond shocked.

Tachibana-san looked at the people in front of him, their reaction a telltale on how far they'd known his son.

They'd known him well.

"Yoshiaki-san… " Yuzuru's voice trembled, "how is he?"

"He's… it's hard to say. The wounds themselves were not fatal, but… it seems like his body is slowly shutting down by itself… in a gradual process of sorts. He's still unconscious… It's not a coma… but it's close... It's more as if… As if Yoshiaki-san simply doesn't want to wake up."

"I don't understand…" Takaya's voice was barely above a whisper.

Muraki gestured to the letter in Nagahide's hand, "In the letter, there's a mention of a lover, or a beloved one, maybe it's the one Kagetora, I don't know… maybe… If we can… If this Kagetora can talk to Yoshiaki-san…"

"What?" whispered Haruie.

"Like I said, the wounds were not fatal," Muraki explained patiently, "Yoshiaki-san's supposed to be awaken by now, but he's not. So, we think that maybe, just maybe, he doesn't want to wake up. He'd certainly expected to die; after all, he has a will carried around."

Tachibana-san spoke up, "It's a long shot… but… Human body is essentially controlled by the soul. If we can… say… give him a will to live… a purpose… maybe… just maybe… he'll wake up."

Muraki continued, "From his letter, I can tell that he's… weary. Of what, I don't know. I'd go as far as saying that he's weary of life. He is still young, though, his body is strong, he can survive these kind of internal wounds. But if he doesn't want to live… If he gives up…"

"Why… why are you telling us this?" asked Takaya.

"Who else will I tell?" asked Tachibana-san, "Who else will I tell beside his friends? Yoshiaki doesn't have many friends, my wife remember Ougi-san only because he'd called to our house before, and when Asaoka-san mentioned your name, we knew that we had to find you…"

"Me?" asked Takaya bitterly, "He doesn't even contact me, Tachibana-san. It's been weeks since the last time I saw him, since the last time I've ever heard of him… months, even…"

"All the more reason we have to find you, Takaya-san… I know my son. I know his tendency to mope and sulk. I know how fragile he really is. I know… I know that he blames himself for every bad thing that happened in this world. But it's not all his fault… Yoshiaki is not a bad man, I know that! He's only… he'd seen too much, felt too much, hurt too much… I know my boy, I know that he wants to die, and I can't let him!"

Takaya looked at this man in front of him incredulously.

"What do you want me to do, Tachibana-san?" the boy finally asked, "I'm not a miracle worker…"

"No, but if you'd only talk to him… Even if you can only safe his soul… Even if he has to move to another body… Please, you're our only hope! He will listen to you, he won't leave you, not if you ask him to stay… he's loyal to you, isn't he? Despite what happened in the past, despite his… obsession… his… he… my son loves you, Kagetora-san. Please, I beg you, please…"

"What?" Takaya was startled.

"Please, I beg you…"

"No… what did you just call me?"

"Kagetora-san…"

There was silence.

"There's no secret between my son and us, his family, Kagetora-san. I presume that I am right, aren't I? You are that Uesugi Kagetora?"

Haruie looked at Naoe's current father and the doctor beside him. While it was possible for Naoe to tell his parents, but this doctor…

Muraki sat there, an amused smile on his lips, as if he's watching something interesting on TV…

"You are, right? The Kagetora my son had served for four hundred years?"

Nagahide decided to cut the conversation, "Tachibana-san… is it possible for us to see Naoe? I mean… we can assess his soul condition better if we see him."

Tachibana-san looked at Muraki, who stood up and nodded.

"Yes, yes…" Tachibana-san stood up with him, and gestured at his son's friends to follow him, "If it is necessary for him to move… It will be better if you're around, I think."

Nagahide and Haruie looked at each other. Naoe really told his secret to his current family…

Miya tugged her brother up, and Yuzuru guided him through the halls, following the two older men. He let himself be led to God-knows-where… To Naoe…

Takaya was drowned in his own world of hazy gray and blue, the voices around him were steady hum without meaning.

All he heard was the words he thought he imagined.

Sayonara, Kagetora-sama… Takaya-san… A… i… shi… te… TBC… 

Some author's note:

_I don't know Yoshiaki's father's name... or his mother's... or his brothers' and sister's... can anyone tell me?_

_I think everyone can guess that some people from X-Clamp will pass by eventually..._

_I need a doctor who knows about onmyojitsu and magical and ghost thingies. I need a doctor who can take all babbles about kanshosha in stride. I need a doctor who's still alive and not a kanshosha. Hence Muraki's appearance._

_Any misspelling of names and words are solely my fault..._

_Thanks for reading!_

_THR_


	2. Chapter 1

_Here's Lamentation: Chapter 1!_

_This is a crossover fic. You'll find people from other animes walking around, some merely passerby and some hold the key to the fic. But all in all, this is an MoB fic. The inserted characters happened because I don't know many people in MoB world..._

_sigh..._

_I've only watched the thirteen episodes of MoB, so I'm going to ignore everything that happened after (or before) that... I'll try not to ruin anything, though... _

_This happened a few weeks (or months) after the 'pier incident'... and after '99._

_R/R are greatly appreciated!_

Lamentation 

**Chapter 1**

**Sandcastles**

Naoe Nobutsuna doesn't stray into his dreamscape often. But when he does, he strays there for long enough.

It was far easier when he became Tachibana Yoshiaki. All he needs to do is tell his family that he's 'needed' for a day or two, go out and get a hotel room, and sleep.

When Kagetora was around, meaning, literally around, sometimes he couldn't even sleep. Irobe and Haruie had often chastised him for his worrywart tendency, but he couldn't help it.

It was when he was in his dreamscape, that a girl strayed in, all bubbly and cheerful and all, feeling so much like Haruie, that he couldn't tell her to go away. She came every now and then, sometimes to comment on his suit, "Really, Na-chan! Brown suits all the time! You need to be more fashionable!" or his sunglasses, "That's so outdated, you know! Get a new one!" or his moping tendency, "Mou! You should get a life!" or his suicidal streak, "And I thought Kyou-chan is bad!"

She told him about herself, but never asked him to tell her about himself. She had a life, once, a happy one, but then she decided to bet it on her brother's love life. In Naoe's point of view, considering that she's a wandering ghost, she lost, but she told him that, no, she didn't loose, in fact, she seemed to be winning. Her life proved to be not all peaches and cream.

And then she dragged another person in. Another Yumemi like himself, although of much greater power. This one can see the future.

Naoe was tempted to ask about his future, but the other man would look at him sadly whenever he wanted to ask, so he never did.

Sometimes he helped him finding the ones he needed to exorcise. Actually, it was him who relayed when Takeda Shingen was going to look for a new body.

It was because of him that he saw Takaya and Yuzuru that faithful day.

He thanks and hates him for that.

Sumeragi Subaru looked up at the people coming towards him. He sighed and stood up.

"Sumeragi-san… I'm sorry for troubling you," Tachibana-san said as he reached his side.

Subaru shook his head, "No, it's no trouble at all. Yoshiaki is a good friend."

Tachibana-san shook his head, and gestured at the people behind him, "These are Yoshiaki's friends, Ougi-san, Narita-san, and…" He looked helplessly at the people there, "I can't remember anymore…"

"I am Chiaki, this is Kadowaki, Takeda, Morino, and Miya, Ougi-kun's sister."

Subaru looked at the people he's been introduced to curiously. Three kanshosha, two mediums, one human, and the other one… what?

Very interesting…

"My son had just met Sumeragi-san before the accident happened," Tachibana-san explained.

Subaru nodded, "I came as soon as I can when Tachibana-san called me."

"Naoe… where is he?"

Subaru looked at the pale dark-haired kanshosha, and had to bit back whatever sarcastic comment he had, "He's inside," and gestured to the door behind him.

The youth, Ougi-kun, looked even paler. His sister grasped his arm tightly.

Muraki-sensei looked at the Sumeragi, "Let me guess, you didn't manage to get in?"

"He's not trapped within, Sensei… Being in a dreamscape and being within are two very different things, and all the Yumemi I know are dead."

"What about him? Can't he get into a dreamscape?"

"Yeah, if we want to destroy it. Yoshiaki's dreamscape is not as strong, you know…"

"How am I supposed to know? I'm just an ordinary doctor."

"Yeah, right."

"Sumeragi-san…"

Subaru looked at Tachibana-san's worried face, and gave a placating smile, "I will do what I can, Tachibana-san."

The older Tachibana nodded.

Muraki opened the door, "You can all come in."

Yuzuru looked at the bed unbelievingly.

Naoe laid there, bandages covering his body here and there, still, pale, and cold.

His shock was not anywhere near Takaya's, though.

His best friend stood there, eyes wide, pale and unmoving, rooted to his spot.

Yuzuru wanted to drag Takaya and sat him by the bed, but he's not sure whether Takaya would comply or bolt.

Saori and Yuhiko stayed well near the door, while Miya stayed by her brother's side.

Haruie was the one who moved first. She walked slowly to the bed, and leaned a bit, her hands shaking a she reached out to touch Naoe's arm, as if afraid that he'd shatter at contact.

There was a woman in the room, sitting by the bed, her eyes intently looking at Naoe, as if willing him to wake up. Tachibana-san walked up to her, and took her hand, guiding her up and outside the room. She threw a glance at Takaya, but that's all about it.

Muraki went out with them, but Subaru stayed by the door he'd just closed.

"He's weakening… I almost can't feel him…" Haruie paled.

"Can't you drag him back?" asked Nagahide.

"It's not the existence of soul that matters," Subaru said, standing there quietly, "I've bound his soul to the body, he's not going anywhere. But even if the soul is in the body, if the heart is not…"

"What are you talking about?"

Subaru looked at the people around him, contemplating, weighing how much he could tell them.

In the end, he decided that blunt truth would do.

"The injuries are serious, yes, but not exactly life-threatening. I've bound the soul in, so theoretically, he should be able to stay alive. If it's a usual case, he should be conscious by now."

"Why isn't he, then?" asked Yuzuru.

"At first, I thought that he was trapped within his heart. A depression, or trauma, can easily set people to 'hide' in their heart, refusing to come out. Some mistake this situation as coma, which is another completely different situation. I thought, at first, that Yoshiaki had gone 'within' himself, running away again. So I tried to go 'within' him, and realized that he's not only 'within'."

"Eh?"

"Tell me, do you know that Yoshiaki, well, Naoe, is a Yumemi?"

"A what?" asked Nagahide.

"A yumemi, dreamgazer, is a person who can… do things within their dreams. They can live there, they can hide there… the stronger ones can manipulate people through dreams, and the strongest ones can see the future. Yoshiaki-san is one of the third level Yumemi."

"Meaning?"

"He can create a world of his own, a total illusion in his own mind, really, and hide there when he wants to. My guess is, he's doing that right now. Hiding, and simply refusing to get out."

"That's… impossible," Haruie looked at still man on the bed, her eyes confused, "Why would he…"

"Me…"

"Eh?"

All eyes looked at Takaya, who moved away from his sister, walking slowly toward the bed, and stood by it, his hand touching the bedside, looking down miserably.

"He's hiding from me…"

Naoe was building sand castle.

It was weird. Why in the world was he building sand castle? But it was appropriate, in a way. After all, he was on a beach, right?

You build sandcastles on beaches…

Now, who on earth came up with such a silly idea? It couldn't be him, right?

The hard thing was not building the castle, he realized. It was keeping his castle not being destroyed.

Whenever he got a structure of his dream castle half built up, a splash of wave would come and wiped it into the ocean. He'd almost finished it, the last time, and he tripped over it.

How annoying.

A part of his mind told him to go further away from the sea. But he couldn't bear to leave his spot. If he stayed where he was, then someone might see him and help with his sandcastle. If not…

Well, he'd just have to finish it all by himself.

So he started to mould his castle again with nothing but his hands.

Over and over again…

A continuous cycle for eternity…

Kakyou was pissed. He could see the damn beach, he could see the waves, he could see the sea, he could see the man, but he couldn't get in, damn it!

The Yumemi of Dragon of Earth had never felt so helpless.

Okay, that's wrong. He'd felt helpless before. But everything worked out in the end, right? Can he hope that this problem in front of him will sort itself out, too?

"Whoever said my problem sorted out itself?" asked the dark-haired purple-eyes youth beside him.

"What are you doing here, Kamui?"

"You need to wake up. There's a meeting in five minutes and you're cranky when you've just woken up."

"Five more minutes, then."

"He's not going anywhere, Kakyou…"

"I know that… The Sumeragi knows what he'd doing with the Soul Bind."

"Well, he is the greatest onmyoji at present. It's only normal that his Reibaku can hold a kanshosha soul."

"But he's not helping!"

"You can't blame my brother! He's only doing what he can!"

"Oh, Hokuto-chan…"

"Come on, Kyou-chan, wake up! I don't want to be late!"

"Honestly, Hokuto-chan, we're dead! We're not going to be late anymore!"

"You tell that to Tatsumi-san! Besides, the sooner we get to the meeting, the sooner we can help Na-chan!"

"Eh?"

"Hakushaku asked us to handle the case," Kamui said smugly.

Kakyou bolted out of his dreamscape, and his sleep, his eyes blinking at the two figures by his chair, "He what?"

"Naoe-san is our case. Now come on."

Something thrilling spread in Kakyou's heart.

Yes, there may still be hope after all.

He'd be damned if Naoe followed his path.

"He's hiding from me…"

Haruie wanted to wrap the younger man in her arms, but Kagetora seemed so far away, unreachable in his grief. The youth sat down wearily on a chair by the bed, his hand gripping the sheets.

Nagahide rolled his eyes, and walked up to the youth, "Self-blaming ain't gonna wake him up, Kagetora. Ne, Sumeragi-san, is there any way you can get Kagetora inside the dreamscape, whatever it is? Maybe he can drag Naoe out."

Subaru shook his head, "I'm sorry, but dreamscape is not my turf, and all the Yumemi who can do so are dead."

"Well, find another one!"

"It's not that easy… Nagahide-san, isn't it? Yumemi are very rare, and only the strongest ones can take control on other people's dreamscapes. I've heard of only four yumemi beside Yoshiaki in my whole life, one a low-class, another an apprentice, and two of the highest class. I've only met one of them, and she went mad after awhile. One died before I had a chance to meet her. The other one, I've only heard of him, and the last one's not even a dreamgazer, more like dream-peeker really…."

"Then… how do we get Naoe out?" asked Haruie.

"Maybe we can just talk to him…" Miya said carefully.

"Eh?"

"Well, I've read somewhere that people in coma actually can hear people talking to them, so…"

"I think I've heard about it, too," Saori was thoughtful.

"There's a book about it, I think…" Yuhiko nodded, "I've read it. Subconsciously, they can hear whatever being said around them"

"But didn't Tachibana-san tried it already?" asked Yuzuru.

"Well, he is not Kagetora…" Nagahide looked at Naoe's still form, "And Naoe does everything Kagetora wants him to do…"

"How long do we have?" asked Haruie, " Or can you keep binding his soul, Sumeragi-san?"

"No… his body is weak, it can still survive longer... But if his soul lost its will to… live… If he dies now, there'll be no reincarnation, and a dead kanshosha soul can't be bound. He'd simply… cease to exist."

Yuzuru looked nervous, "You said that his soul is… injured. How come?"

"I've no idea. I'm not the one Yoshiaki talks to."

"Hell, I highly doubt he talks to anyone!" Haruie cursed.

"From what I can tell…" Subaru considered, "he's weary, I think… he's lived for so long, been hurt for so long… I guess he wants to rest… to leave everything behind…"

"He won't leave me!"

Takaya found himself surprised with his own outburst.

Subaru smiled slightly, "Muraki came up with a theory that if we can get his soul to hold on, even if he's not waking up, we can have the time to cure his body. The stronger the body is, the better chance we have of having him back. We're hoping that you'll help, Kagetora. He will listen to whatever you say. Talk to him, keep him here… if not, then… we'll lose him. All of him. If his soul is gone, then…."

Haruie had never seen Kagetora so pale.

Then again, Naoe had never been this close to true death.

Takaya moved automatically, dismissing those around him. He simply knelt by the bed, taking his hand in his, kissing the fingers reverently.

Naoe didn't move.

Subaru shepherded everyone out, leaving the master and his loved one alone.

Takaya was stumped.

Naoe had always been a protective figure to him. Seeing him lying there, pale and feverish… It seemed surreal.

"Naoe…" Takaya called his aide softly, willing him to open those intense eyes and look at him.

No response.

'_How do I do this?_' Takaya thought, '_How do I call him? What must I say?_'

Regretfully, Takaya knew almost nothing about Naoe. Kagetora hated Naoe, but at the same time loved him so much that he could never let him go.

And Takaya knew that he loved Naoe. But did Kagetora love him this much?

That day, on the pier… Did Naoe know that Takaya slept wearing his coat?

Takaya wondered if he would be able to help Naoe. He needed to wake Naoe, okay. Then what?

If everything continued the way it had for those four hundred year… the pushing and pulling and loving and hating and taking and throwing away and mending and damaging and healing and destroying and…

A never-ending chain of love and hate…

Can he break it? Can he set him free? Can he set them free? Free to do what?

Kagetora was furious. Takaya wanted to cry.

That night… the night in the cave under the starry sky looking out at a drenched world…

The closest he'd ever get of realizing that loosing Naoe hurts…

Hold on, Naoe, hold on… 

The pale and almost lifeless body in his arms…

_Kagetora-sama!_

An enemy who became his shadow, his shield, his spear...

_Kagetora-sama?_

He had let him stay. Although he hated him at first, but Kenshin had simply 'given' Naoe to him. And they were together, inseparable.

_Kagetora-sama! Run!_

War… peace… war... peace… war… peace… war… continuous war… But one thing stayed the same. The lithe body beside him, behind him, in front of him, protecting him, staying close to him.

_Naoe, you alone I will never forgive!_

Words spoken in grief and hatred. Words then regretted.

_Irobe? How's Naoe?_

The worry… the spiking fear…

_Nobutsuna…_

The bloodied clothes, drenching his own… the curled fingers, holding nothing … the eyes that were shut, tears on his pale cheeks… a word forever frozen on his lips…

_NOBUTSUNA!!!!!!_

The tears in his eyes, the pain his heart… the cold body held close to him… sadness… emptiness… but most of all… ANGER…

_How dare you leave me… how dare you! You're not leaving me! You're mine! MINE!_

And regret…

_I haven't told you… I haven't told you… that I'm sorry… I was wrong… I'm sorry I hurt you…_

A moment of weakness, a moment of truth…

_Next time, next life…Nobutsuna…We'll be together… forever… I will never let you go… Nobutsuna… my Nobutsuna…_

The silent unresponsive lips under his, a stolen kiss…

_Naoe… I'm sorry… Naoe… Nobutsuna…_

And yet he was still afraid… He was always afraid…

Ougi Takaya had a humbling realization.

He was the reason why Naoe stayed. He was the one who tied Naoe. His Naoe.

'_My Nobutsuna…'_

The hand in his was cold, but Takaya found himself unable to let go of that hand. Not anymore.

So many missed chances, so many wasted times… but enough is enough. No more.

He stood up and leaned over, carefully placed a kiss on his beloved's forehead.

No response.

He kissed his eyes lovingly.

No response.

He kissed his cheeks tenderly.

No response.

He pecked his nose playfully.

No response.

'_Nobutsuna… My Nobutsuna… Wake up… Wake up for me, my love… for your Kagetora… for your Takaya… wake up… My Nobutsuna… My beloved Yoshiaki… wake up… For my sake… For our sake… Wake up… Let me say those words to you… Yoshiaki… wake up…'_

No response.

Muraki Kazutaka is a man of logic, and in his mind, kanshosha is logical. After all, after spending some times chasing a certain amethyst-eyed shinigami, nothing is beyond his logic anymore. He also knows that through the right spell and device, one can keep a soul attached to a body, or a part of body… as long as you still have the head, the spine, and the brain, you can still resurrect someone. The other parts are transplantable.

How do you keep a mindless soul in body not his own, though?

Above all, he likes to experiment, and Tachibana Yoshiaki, or rather, Naoe Nobutsuna, had his full attention. He's intrigued.

Besides, a dying kanshosha is not a case that will be neglected by Ju-Oh-Cho. With luck, he'd see his other playthings again.

"Thinking bad thoughts, Sensei?"

He shrugged and took out a cigarette box, "Why ever do you think so, Subaru-san? Or should I say, Sakurazukamori?"

Subaru stood by him, looking at the hospital garden's fishpond, "You're a doctor, you're not suppose to smoke."

"Ah… but no smoking can kill me, Sumeragi-san."

"What do you want?"

"Me?"

"Yes, you. I saw how… interested… you are to Yoshiaki."

"Not like that, I assure you."

"I don't care like what are you interested to him, Muraki… you're not touching him."

"So devoted! Tell me, has the kanshosha finally turned your thought from your beloved Seiishirou-san?"

"It's nothing like that, Muraki. He's a friend, and I'm tired of loosing friends."

"He's a kanshosha. Even if he survives, he'd outlive you. In the end, you can't keep him beside you."

"Whoever said I want to keep him?" Subaru looked disgusted, "That's Kagetora's job, not mine. But he's a friend, Muraki, and I'm not letting you hurt him."

"Might as well keep Kagetora away from him, then After all, no one can hurt him more than Kagetora can."

"Your mind-games don't work on me, Muraki."

"Ah, yes… After Seiishirou-san and The Other Kamui, no mind-games can work on you. What a pity."

"Keep away from him, and his friends, Muraki," Subaru threatened, "Or I will rip you off your power. And the name is Sakurazuka."

Subaru turned on his heels and left back into the building.

Muraki smiled, took a long drag of his cigarette, and threw it on the grassy ground, crushing it under his shoes.

"As if you can, Subaru-kun…"

When Miya entered the hospital room, she found her brother still kneeling by the bed, his eyes closed and his fingers joined together as if in a prayer.

The figure on the bed was still the same as she remembered him.

She'd seen this man before. She'd seen this man taking her brother to lunch or dinner, even to breakfast. She'd seen him picking up her brother for a vacation. She'd seen him at Yuzuru-sempai's house before.

She'd seen him, and she likes him. She wanted to ask to he brother who the tall handsome man was, but when Takaya wasn't saying anything, Miya had learned that it's better not to ask. It hurts, though; to think that her own brother couldn't trust her with his secrets.

Then again, maybe it's because she's his sister, that Takaya didn't tell her anything.

It doesn't matter. Takaya is Takaya, the only brother she has. She won't abandon him like her father and mother did, because she knows Takaya won't abandon her either.

The door opened; Nagahide, Haruie, Subaru and Yuzuru walked in. Saori and Yuhiko had gone home, and Miya had gone home with them, packing some clothes for her brother, and went back to the hospital with Yuzuru.

Miya smiled at them, and reached out to touch her brother's shoulder.

Takaya looked up saw his sister's face above him.

"Miya? Why are you doing here?"

"I took the liberty of staying," she smiled, " I want to be with you."

"Oh, yeah, thanks, Miya."

"Anytime. How is he?"

"Still the same…"

Haruie and Nagahide looked at each other.

Miya helped her brother up and sat him on the chair, "No change at all?"

"I called him, I talked to him, I threatened him, I begged him…" Takaya sighed, looking at his sister's loving face, "He's not listening to me!"

"You need to be patient, Kagetora," Haruie admonished, "I'm sure he hears you. He always listens to you, right?"

"Then why isn't he waking up?"

Nagahide looked at Naoe intently, "Ne, what exactly happened, I mean, before the accident? You met him, right, Sumeragi-san?"

Subaru sighed, took a chair and slouched on it, "Yeah. He suddenly called me and asked me to meet him, so I just did."

"What for?"

Subaru looked uncomfortable, "He… he wants to be exorcised."

Silence.

Subaru sighed. Might as well tell everything…

"I've known about Yoshiaki, and Naoe, for along time. The first thing I've known about Kanshosha was from my grandmother, who helped The Tachibana pulled out their seven-years-old son out of catatonic years before. That was before I met Yoshiaki. I was… emotionally unstable at that time… my twin sister had just died and my… beloved… was the one who killed her. My grandmother arranged my meeting with Yoshiaki, and he… being a kanshosha with more experience, pulled me out of a slump, in a way. He told me about himself, about the five Uesugi Yasashuu… about Kagetora… and… he sorts of giving me the will to carry on… to do whatever I can do with my life… To… make my wish come true…"

Haruie looked at the young man sitting with his eyes looking at the floor. This man… she knows of The Sumeragi Family, of course, but this man…

What could've happened that a man who's only something-twenty carries a burden like that?

As if sensing his thought, Subaru looked up at her and gave a small smile.

"Thinking of him… and the world he protects, gives me the will to go on. No matter how much I hurt, I am still allowed to choose my own life and death, while he's bound by a mission that might take forever to finish. He's a friend, because he understands the pain, even when I'm not saying anything. So, when he suddenly called me, I came."

Yuzuru looked at this man before him, a man with eyes so verdant and ancient… As if he'd seen the sorrow of all time… The eyes that felt so much like Naoe's…

"We met at a restaurant. We had lunch, he insisted on paying, we took a stroll, we talked about this and that, and then dinner, and then he drove me to… a place."

"A place?"

"Yes. He said that he died there. Naoe died there."

Haruie bit her lip.

"He then showed me a sword kept in a wooden casket, old yet well preserved. He told me that it was his sword at that time. He asked me…"

Nagahide leaned on his chair, looking at the Sumeragi intently.

"He asked me to kill him with it. Kill his body, and then… exorcise his soul."

Takaya buried his face on his hands.

"I refused, of course. How could I? He didn't push, but I was afraid that he'd ask me again, so I left him there. He couldn't kill himself, anyway, so I thought it's safe, and that I can talk to him again later on. I flagged a car, hitchhike to my hotel, and stayed there, all the while thinking what to say to him when I see him the next morning. I fully intend on meeting him again. I called him in the morning, but his cell was off. Sometimes during afternoon, Tachibana-san called me… And I rushed here."

Miya thought about a report she'd heard on the radio. A car was hit by a truck at night… Could it be…? Damn…

"Muraki then told me about his… assessment... that although the body can be healed, the soul was… missing… So I went 'within' Yoshiaki's heart, and found nothing. That's when I realized that Yoshiaki, Naoe, is a Yumemi. No one can close up his own heart like that but a Yumemi. When a yumemi trapped himself in his dreamscape, he's gone from his heart. His kanshosha soul was there, considering that the body was still alive, and different from usual human who can 'live' even when the soul's not exactly 'in' the body, kanshosha souls are more… brittle, and has no tie whatsoever with the used body."

"Wait, wait, wait… what do you mean by human who can live even when the soul's not exactly in the body?" asked Haruie, "If you have no soul, you can't live."

"Yes, but a body is tied to a soul. That link diminishes only when the soul passed on to the other side. As long as the soul is still in this side, that link stays. Which explain why coma patients can wake up. The body has a power to drag the soul back in. Kashosha souls, though… since they use other's bodies, have no link to any bodies. When the soul's badly injured, the body dies. When the body's badly injured, the soul can either stays and see if the body can heal and move out when the body shut down on its own, or look for another body early on. Maintaining a link with bodies not their own, though, is tedious, so they have the tendency to simply 'jump' out."

Nagahide thought of the many bodies he'd used, and thought whether he could've used those bodies longer…

"So… Naoe-san…"

"Yes, Narita-kun. Naoe's soul is still tied to the body, I've made sure of it, but for how long, I don't know. If we're to save him, his soul must have a will of his own to stay in that body. Otherwise, all will be lost. And right now, not only that the soul has no will to carry on, he'd locked himself in a place where no one can reach him, in his own dream world. He can stay there forever, never even realizing that he's gone… The power of memory is great, and dreamscape exists because of mind power, which is memory, and memory is what affects one's heart… He can die, and doesn't even realized that he's gone. Trapped within a world of his own creation… until the soul's gone… not going to Meifu, not roaming the world… simply… vanished… like I would have, long ago…"

Silence.

"What do we do then?" asked Takaya, his voice raw.

Subaru shook his head, "I have conferred with some of my friends, maybe they can help. We have no strong Yumemi left, but there is one who might be able to tell us how dreamscape works. Meanwhile… we wait… and pray that Yoshiaki's body is strong enough to sustain Naoe's diminishing soul."

Miya looked at the occupant of the bed, "We can do that. We will do that."

"You don't seemed to be surprised," Takaya commented, looking at his sister intently.

"Hardly," Miya smiled, "I've always assumed that you'd ended up with another man, although all along I always thought it'll be with you, Yuzuru-sempai."

Yuzuru had to laugh, "Yeah, we're awfully close, eh?"

Miya nodded, "Yeah… but… I know you, Niichan. You need an older one to take care of you, but not those uptight types… You need to be free; you need to be able to do anything you want, so your chosen one should be really patient and understanding, but protective and stern at the same time."

"Oh, Naoe's like that, don't worry," Haruie laughed softly.

"So, you're okay with this?" asked Takaya.

Miya calmly nodded, "I've know you're meant for each other the moment I saw you together, when he came over to pick you for summer vacation. But I think there is something you need to tell me, Niichan. I think someone needs to tell me the whole story."

Takaya was about to open his mouth to say something, when the door opened, and a man entered the room, a file folder in his hand.

"Takamura-san?" Subaru stood up quickly.

Takamura Suoh, CLAMP Gakuen's Board Secretary, and the current head of The Takamura ninja family, strode up to him, giving him the folder, "There was no one in the truck."

"What?"

"We've checked. There was no pieces of body, no hair, no blood, no sweat… The truck's empty."

"But… there were witnesses! The truck hit Yoshiaki's car!"

"I know. There was no one in it, though."

Subaru looked at the files in his hands, skimming them quickly, "You are sure?"

"Rijichou and Idoumu-san triple checked it. We're sure. We have the truck with us, maybe it was driven by remote controller, but…"

"But?"

"Kishuu-san felt something from the truck. Something which is not technology."

"Then…"

"The remote controller might not be an electronic device. In fact, it might not be human."

Subaru closed the folder with a snap, "Can it be any worse than this?"

"Oh, it can," Suoh said grimly, "Kanoe-san sent something to Rijichou this morning before I left. She mentioned that something's been bothering her, a battle in Hinoto's earlier predictions… but not an old battle, considering that she saw cars and buildings and other not ancient things, and it's not the '99 destruction battle. It was a real battle, both spiritual and arm-to-arm combat. She recognized some of the banners used, though. The Takeda, The Nobunaga, The Houjou, The Uesugi…"

"WHAT???!!! When?"

"Long ago, before the Shinken project begun. Hinoto must've forgotten about it, after all, when we're dealing with Shinken, other things seemed to be of little importance…"

"Are we saving the world only to have this world swallowed in Yami Sengoku?" Subaru asked incredulously.

"Rijichou had contacted all the remaining Dragons. If necessary, we can help."

"We will help," Subaru nodded purposefully, "This is the world that Kamui protects. I will not let anyone destroy it."

"Monou-san said the same thing."

"So, are we all in?"

The secretary looked at the people in front of him, powerful and dangerous in their own ways, with enough love to the world of the living and the dead to rival the earliest creator Gods.

Nods from all directions.

"I understand that for some, this case will be hard. But, after the many broken kekkai at '99, we simply can't let these murderous souls exist anymore. And for those sacrificed ones… 400 years is enough. We're breaking this chain. We're setting them free."

_TBC…_

Some author's note:

_I still don't know Yoshiaki's father's name... or his mother's... or his brothers' and sister's... should I just create names?_

_Again, I ask for forgiveness in the portrayal of the characters, but if I let them to be as stupid and ignorant and oblivious as I think they are in the 13 episodes I've seen… then this story's not going anywhere._

_See? There will be many X'99 people come and go…and some other…_

_I'm still not sure whether Muraki is hero or villain in this story._

_Yes, this story takes place after X'99. Anime+Manga X'99._

_The kanshosha theory is strangely a psychological theory. A body can stay alive when the soul go wandering around, but a man can't stay alive without his heart…_

_The four Dreamgazer/Yumemi: The strongest ones were Kakyou, and Hinoto, who in the end went personality-splitted because of it. The apprentice was Kotori, she would've been the strongest yumemi if she wasn't killed. The low-class one was the Dream-peeker, Kanoe. She doesn't dreamgaze, she peeks into her sister Hinoto's dreams._

_The memories that Takaya remembers came from several parts of Kagetora's life, my creations mostly, you can find the whole story in Lamentation:Prequel._

_Any misspelling of names and words are solely my fault..._

_You don't really have to know about X Clamp and/or Yami no Matsuei to get the story, but a little knowledge might give you a more in-depth story, yes._

_Any questions about the characters/ plot/ this/ that/ whoever/ whatever can be asked freely, and will be answered truthfully. Creating a crossover story with the hope that everyone can understand what I'm talking about is almost impossible, after all._

_Thanks for reading!_

_THR_


	3. Chapter 2

_Here's Lamentation: Chapter 2!_

_This is a crossover fic. You'll find people from other animes walking around, some merely passerby and some hold the key to the fic. But all in all, this is an MoB fic. The inserted characters happened because I don't know many people in MoB world..._

_sigh..._

_I've only watched the thirteen episodes of MoB, so I'm going to ignore everything that happened after (or before) that... I'll try not to ruin anything, though... _

_This happened a few weeks (or months) after the 'pier incident'... and after '99._

_R/R are greatly appreciated!_

Lamentation 

**Chapter 2**

**Chains and Domino Fall**

"_I'm worried about him…"_

"_You are always worried about him!"_

"_More than usual, I mean… He's despairing again…"_

"_Well, what am I suppose to do? Kagetora is a stupid git when it comes to love, and Naoe is far too self-blaming for his own good!"_

"_I know… He's dying, I can feel him pulling away bit by bit…"_

"_Eh?"_

"_He's… slipping away… He's not… fighting anymore…"_

"Oh…" 

"_I'm worried, Takaya…"_

"_I know, Yoshiaki… So am I…"_

That was weeks before that day. The day when he decided to break all rules and dragged out his kanshosha from the burning car. His partner was there, protecting them from the fiery inferno with his kekkai, and he was grateful for that.

And then he realized that the soul that he had been protecting for almost thirty years was diminishing.

He's not fighting…

Desperation called for instant action.

He didn't know what he was doing. He didn't know how he did it. But it was necessary, and there was no way he's letting this soul slipped off his fingers.

He reached inside himself, calling the power he knew the soul in his arms also has, bound them together, and pulled.

Fuck the consequences. He had a soul to save.

Subaru was quiet after Takamura Suoh left. He stood by the window, looking out at nothing, his face drawn in a tight concentration.

Around the room, people were sleeping; Takaya on a chair beside the bed, Miya on the sofa with Haruie, Nagahide on the other chair by the door, Yuzuru on an armchair.

Subaru watched the sunrise, and gave a long sigh.

_ What are you sighing about? _

_ Nothing, Tree-san. Nothing… and everything… _

_ Are you thinking that giving your friend to me is more favorable than this? _

_ I… yes. _

_ You're becoming more and more like Seishirou, Sumeragi. _

_ I know that. And why are you still calling me Sumeragi? _

_ Habit. _

_ Ah… _

_ If I can ease your burden, your friend has a strong soul. _

_ No soul can be strong when they loose their will to exist. _

_ Well, you simply have to give it to him, eh? _

_ That's not my job. That's Kagetora's. _

_ Yeah… _

_ Anything you can tell me? _

_ Not yet. But the Higher-Ups won't back off from this kind of case, you know… _

_ Oh? _

_ Yeah. They'll be sending their agents. _

_ They'd better send their best agents, then. _

_ Oh, I have a feeling they are… _

_ … You're hiding something from me. _

_ I'm giving you facts, not rumors, Sumeragi. _

_ Well, give me facts, then. _

_ I really think you should kill Muraki. _

_ You too, huh? _

_ Yeah. But he's hard to kill. Actually, I'm not sure how to kill him myself… _

_ Oh? _

_ Although he will make a tasty dinner. _

_ A supply for a hundred years? _

_ You wish. No. A year or so. _

_ He's really that strong? _

_ Don't tell me you didn't realize it! _

_ I do. You've just given me confirmation. _

_ Sheesh…Just call me when you need me, Sumeragi. _

_ I don't have your number. _

_ Hahaha… very funny. _

The telepathic connection broke, and Subaru sighed yet again.

The future doesn't seem to be bright.

Then again…

The future is not foreordained.

_Right, Kamui?_

Muraki claimed that there was no change at all, and he left the four kanshosha and the Sumeragi there. Yuzuru had gone to school with the three girls. For once, he didn't try to drag Takaya with him.

Takaya was having a crisis of self-hatred and utter confusion. Kagetora's memories in his head were a jumble of knots and broken pieces here and there. He was thinking of asking Nagahide and Haruie to tell him every single bit that had happened in his past, but then he realized that 400 years is an awfully long space of time.

So he decided to try to unknot and sort them by himself. It won't be easy, but he had to try. He had to know about everything. He had to know the truth about Naoe…

"Can't we just get into that dreamscape and drag him out?" Haruie was asking.

Subaru shook his head wearily, "How? I'm not a yumemi. I don't even know how to open the gate."

"There's a gate?"

"That's an expression for entrance, Nagahide-san…"

"Well, since it's clear that he's not getting out by himself, we have to drag him out. Right?"

"Which brings us back to that yet again question, Haruie-san. How?"

"Damn you, Naoe, with you, things are bound to get complicated…"

Takaya laughed. He couldn't help it.

Nagahide looked at the youth, surprise written on his face, "Oy, Kagetora! You're loosin' it?"

"No…" Takaya smothered his laughter, "It's just that… you're right… with Naoe, things are bound to get complicated…"

"It is, isn't it?" Haruie smiled slightly, "He's one of the most complicated and contradictive person ever existed."

"Oh, I know those types…" Subaru huffed.

"Really?"

"Yeah. He needs 400 years to get all messed up. The guy I knew was only 35, and he managed to mess me up."

There was a knock on the door, and a doctor came in.

Quite tall, with long blond hair tied quite messily behind his neck, and huge amber eyes, the handsome man wore a grin on his face like a second skin.

"Hullo, I am Watari-sensei, I'm arranged to be the doctor for the patient in this room… Tachibana Yoshiaki-san, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Takaya nodded, "what happened? Where's Muraki-sensei?"

There was a flash of something in those amber eyes, disgust and alarm, so fast that it almost went unnoticed, but it was there.

"Oh… I don't really know… All I know is that I'm stationed here."

"Really?" Nagahide looked interested.

"Yeah. Hospital policy and all," Watari strode up and stood beside the bed, looking at the man lying on it and reading a thick folder in his hands, "Hm… according to this… this man's supposed to be awake…"

"Yes," Haruie looked at the new doctor warily. Are they going to have to explain the whole mess about Kanshosha to this doctor, too?

"Fractured arm, broken ribs… no punctured lung, almost no internal damage… damn. This guy's supposed to be talking by now!"

Watari closed the file with a snap.

"Brain damage, maybe?" Takaya offered weakly.

"Nope. It'll show in CAT scan. Brain damage my ass… This guy's should be up and about!"

"Well, he's not," Nagahide was annoyed, "Do something about it!"

"Watari-sensei…" Subaru looked at the blond doctor intently.

Watari put his folder on the bedside table and turned to look at the Sumeragi, "I'm sorry, Sumeragi Subaru-san, isn't it? We came as soon as we could. Things were a little bit… backlogged at our end."

"So this is what he meant by the Higher-Ups won't stand back in this kind of case…"

"The funny thing is, it's not even the higher ups, Sumeragi-san,"

Subaru smiled, "And you are?"

"Watari Yutaka, EnmaCho Shokan-ka Sixth Area."

"Shokan-ka… Shinigami ka?"

"Yeah. Not really, though. We're putting out no candle here."

"You'd better not."

"I'm mad, not stupid, Sumeragi-san. I'm not here to deliver him anywhere."

"That's good."

Haruie and Nagahide had backed off toward the bed when they heard the word 'shinigami'.

"Be at ease, gentlemen, I'm not your enemy here," Watari looked at the two retreating Kanshosha, "As crazy as it seemed, we're here to help."

"We?"

"Yeah. Shinigami works in pairs."

"Shinigami?" Takaya looked confused.

"Yeah."

"…"

Watari sighed, "Okay, I'm going to give you a textbook introduction. JuOhCho is the organization that judges the dead on the deeds of their life exists in Meifu, the land of the dead. EnMaCho, Meifu's largest divion, was set-up by the lord deity of Hell itself, EnMaDaiOh-sama. We of the EnMaCho Summon Divison are called Shinigami, specializing in dealing with troubles related to the administration of the justice system. Which is to say that it is the special branch of the National Public Service Law. Our duty is to continue investigation on cases deemed unsolved and impossible by other divisions. Each division's bureau sends an investigation request which after sorting is sent to us. We deal with unusual death, missing souls, demonic threat, and the like."

"Eh?!?"

"You're not taking him anywhere," Haruie paled.

"Weren't you people listening? We're here to help. That body won't stand protecting a dying soul for much longer!"

"Why would you help?" ask Nagahide curiously.

"Oh, for the love of… You have to ask that?"

"Stop it!" Takaya raised his voice, "Please. You said you're helping us. How?"

"That's what I need to find out."

"Well, then…"

"What's this? A shinigami in my hospital?"

Watari spun around to look at Muraki leaning on the opened door.

"What an unexpected catch, Watari-san, isn't it? It's a pleasure meeting you."

Something changed in Watari's demeanor. No longer smiling, his hands fisted by his side, his eyes hard.

"It's never a pleasure meeting you."

"Temper, Watari-san. Although I am a little bit disappointed. I was hoping to see my beloved Tsuzuki-san."

"He's not your beloved, and you're not meeting him."

"Ah… what a rude words! It is so unbecoming for a doctor, you know. You have much to learn from me."

"A true doctor doesn't kill, Muraki."

"Really… I was under the impression that that's exactly what I do."

"Then you're not a doctor."

"Oh? Tell me, what am I, then?"

"Demon."

"Oh… Really, Watari-san, I'm flattered…"

Takaya found himself inching closer to the bed, ready to grab Naoe and make a run out should a battle break. Haruie and Nagahide did the same. Subaru was tempted to make a kekkai.

Muraki smiled, and gave a low bow, "Well, since it seems that now you have a more… agreeable… doctor, I shall take my leave. It's time for me to check my other patients, anyway. You can have all of my… assessments… on Tachibana Yoshiaki-san, both his physic and… psyche. You can have them at the nurse station."

"Thank you, Doctor."

"Always eager to be the help for the Shinigami. Please deliver my humble regard to my beloved Tsuzuki-san, and Bouya, too, how I miss that doll of mine! And your secretary… he is fun to spar."

"Get lost."

"As you wish, Watari-san. Kagetora-san, Nagahide-san, Haruie-san, Subaru-kun…"

Subaru tensed.

Muraki laughed and spun away.

"Don't even try, Sumeragi-san. He's not worth the time."

Subaru looked at the blond doctor, who was then smiling again.

"You know him."

"Yeah."

Takaya found himself holding Naoe's hand, "He's scary."

"He's dangerous," Watari nodded.

"How come we didn't realize it?" asked Haruie, her body shaking.

"He's physically an angel. Who would've thought?"

"He's… he's… dark…" Nagahide looked at the opened door, shocked, "he's so dark and I didn't even notice…"

"None of us shinigami did, until he kidnapped one of our own."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. It's a long story, and not a pretty one."

" I think I want to hear it…"Subaru looked interested.

Watari turned back to get his folder, skimming through it, "Muraki raped a thirteen years old empath boy named Hisoka and cursed him so that he died miserably through an accumulation of physical illnesses. The boy suffered for three years before he finally died, and was recruited as shinigami due to his empathy and spiritual power. And even after that, Muraki just wouldn't leave him alone, claiming him as his doll and everything, he also stalks Hisoka's partner, Tsuzuki, all the time. He has a power beyond anything we've ever seen before, including the ability to teleport right into and out of Meifu, without any Shinigami taking him. All in all, he's a perfect bastard."

"Total bastard," Takaya looked repulsed, "Ne, Watari-san… Muraki didn't mess up with Naoe, didn't he? I mean, he's not like… trapping Naoe so he can't wake up?"

"I doubt it," Watari shook his head, "Muraki might find your friend as a curiosity, but that's all about it. Otherwise, he would've done something by now."

"And how do we know that he hasn't done anything?" Haruie paled.

"Good question."

"Sensei! You're not helping!"

"What do you think I'm doing?"

Subaru sighed, "Is there anything that you can tell us, Watari-san?"

"Why he's not waking up, you mean? He's busy making sandcastle."

"What?"

"He's busy making sandcastle in his dreamscape. The problem is, his castle seemed to be destroyed continuously."

Takaya looked helplessly confused, "What?"

Subaru, though, being used to going 'within' and seeing symbols and everything else, looked thoughtful, "Sandcastles are fragile, yes?"

"Yeah," Watari smiled, interested in seeing the Sumeragi trying to put the pieces together.

Subaru scrunched his face, "So… sandcastle… you said it was continuously destroyed."

"Yeah. Over and over again, none ever finished of yet."

"Yet he kept on trying to make one?"

"Last I checked, yeah."

"Sandcastle… he's still trying…"

"That's the good news. The bad news is, he's not getting out of there until he managed to make one."

"Uh… was there anyone else there?"

"Nope. He's alone."

"Bad…"

"Say that again."

"Eh… Subaru-san, sensei… we're still here…" Haruie tried to get the two conversing men's attention.

Watari shrugged and went back to his folder, while Subaru bit his lip.

"What's with the sandcastle?" asked Nagahide.

"He's… it's … symbols, actually. Sandcastles are fragile and hard to build, and his kept on being destroyed before it's done. He's trying to make, or to have, something, yet it's hard for him actually gain this thing, because it kept on… being destroyed… Watari-san… what destroys the castle?"

"Sea-waves, turtles, doves, himself tripping over it, no reason at all…"

"This thing... he can't have it because external and internal reasons…"

"Good, Sumeragi-san… very good."

"Always within his reach, yet slipping off his fingers every time… It's Kagetora, isn't it?"

"Pin-pon," Watari Yutaka sighed helplessly.

"Thanks, Kurama, sorry to bother you!"

"No, it's quite alright, Watari-san. After all, I'm quite free. Have you got all the instructions noted?"

"Yup. All set!"

"Good. Then I shall take my leave. I'll be in touch."

"Thank you, Kurama-san."

"Just keep an eye on him, Sumeragi-san."

"Of course."

Yuzuru, Miya, Saori, and Yuhiko stepped aside, allowing the red-haired handsome man to walk out of the room.

"Who's he?" asked Yuzuru.

"Kurama. One of the best healers of all worlds."

The newcomers looked at the new doctor leaning beside the bed, making notes in his large book.

"Eh? Where's Muraki-sensei?" asked Yuhiko.

"He's fired," Takaya grumbled from his 'throne', the bedside chair.

"Fired, Niichan?"

"Yeah. He's not going anywhere near Naoe anymore."

"Eh? What's wrong?"

"He's an evil-doer maniac, that's why," Haruie sighed.

"Oh? But he's so handsome!" Saori said disappointedly

"And I'm not?" Watari looked sad.

"We'll explain later," Subaru smiled, "This is Watari-sensei, he's in charge of Naoe now."

"Hiya'all!"

"Are you sure you're a doctor?" asked Saori skeptically.

"Nope. I'm a mad scientist. But I know how to play doctor."

"Huh?"

"Watari-san, you're scaring them," Nagahide looked amused.

"I am?"

Yuzuru smiled, he liked the new doctor already, "So, how is he?"

"All physical wounds healed, well, almost all. He needs to be easy on the ribs, and the arm has to stay in sling for another two days or so."

"Eh?" Miya looked astonished.

"But… but… he 's… a wreck!" Saori was baffled.

"The magic of Healers, Ladies."

"What?"

"I've told you that's Kurama's one of the best, didn't I?"

"…" The four newcomers looked at each other.

Nagahide laughed, "I think someone needs to explain something to them."

Subaru was elected, of course, "Watari-san is an agent of EnMaCho Summon Division of JuOhCho, the organization that judges the dead on the deeds of their life which exists in Meifu, the land of the dead; his words, not mine. He's helping us. Kurama-san is a Detective of the land of the dead, or something like that."

"The Dead?" Yuzuru inquired.

"Well, yeah, in a way. Kurama's not dead, but I am," Watari shrugged.

"Dead?" Miya gulped.

"Yup. Shinigami are a bunch of dead people."

"… Somehow I find it hard to imagine…" Yuhiko looked amazed.

"Yeah. And they say seeing is believing."

"So, Sensei, Naoe's okay now?" asked Takaya, looking at the busily scribbling doctor.

"Physically, yes. Now we need to drag him out of his tiny little beach."

"Beach?" asked Yuzuru.

"Oh, for the love of… Come here, you four!" Nagahide dragged the newcomers to gather by the window and gave them a crash course on what happened while they were gone.

Haruie laughed a little, "How do we do it? I mean? Drag him out?"

"I'm still thinking about it."

A there was a knock on the door, and it opened, revealing a blond head peeking in, "Watari-san?"

"Bon! Come in! Come in! What're you doing here alone?"

"Not alone, of course," another voice was heard, and the door opened widely, revealing a bespectacled man in brown suit beside the cute blond boy, "I'm not crazy enough to let Kurosaki-kun come alone to a hospital where mad doctor works."

"Tatsumi! What a surprise! I'm expecting someone else, though…"

"Oh, him? He's with Tsuzuki."

"Eh? Why didn't Tsuzuki go with Bon, and you stay with him? After all, Bon is Tsuzuki's partner…"

"I have more fighting chance when it comes to Muraki, he's a scaredy cat, and you said you need Kurosaki-kun."

"Scaredy… Oh, yeah. Well," Watari put down his scribbling and sighed, "Although actually I was hoping for a show."

"Watari-san, you're incorrigible."

"Whatever you say, Bon. Minna-san, meet my colleagues, the tall scary one is Tatsumi Seiichirou, our department's stingy secretary, and the boy is Kurosaki Hisoka, our resident empath. Tatsumi, Bon, this is Takaya, and, ehhh… Haruie, that's Nagahide, and… wait… Yuzuru, Miya, Yuhiko, and… Saori. Right?"

"Right," Haruie smiled, "It seems that you've done a thorough investigation already, Watari-san?"

"How else would I get this case? Bon, come here for a minute."

Hisoka strode over to where Watari was standing, his eyes glued to the still figure on the bed.

"He looked better," The boy commented.

"Yup. Kurama's magic works all the time. Now, what we need to find out is how's his psyche doing."

"I was told that he's still making sandcastle."

"Really? How many times has it been destroyed in the last seven hours?"

"Strangely, none of yet."

"Eh?"

"He's more like… sitting there looking at the unfinished sandcastle, contemplating it."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"That's scary. Check on him, will you? We can see his dreamscape, but we can't really know what's going on in his head."

"…"

"What?"

"I'm not sure it's a good idea… I might get overloaded in a second."

"Better than nothing, Bon. His body's mending, but if we loose his heart, we loose his soul."

"Hai, I know. I'll see what I can find."

Hisoka took a chair, and carefully linked his fingers to Naoe's cold ones, letting himself be drawn into his vortex of emotion…

_admiration envy honor shame kindness fury patience intolerance hope despair attention negligence need pride happiness sadness radiance darkness love hate love hate love hate love hate love hate love hate love hate love hate love hate love hate love hate love hate…_

Hisoka wrenched the connection free, gulping for breath. Dimly he realized that he'd fallen to the floor, and Tatsumi was holding him against his chest.

"Bon? Bon? Are you okay?"

Hisoka nodded, carefully sorting his own emotion, Tatsumi's shadow barrier a soothing wall around his enhanced sense. He opened his eyes, and smiled at his two seniors, "I'm okay. I've told you I'll be overloaded."

"… I didn't think it'd be that bad…"

"Nah. I didn't collapse long. It's okay. Him, though…"

Helped by Tatsumi's strong arms, Hisoka stood up and looked at the man he's just connected with, "We need to get him out fast…"

"What did you get?" asked Tatsumi.

"Contradiction."

"Eh?"

"He's contradicting everything. I… don't know how to explain it. But we need to put his soul at ease, be it by waking him up or sending him on. We can't let him suffer like that."

'_How can anyone feel love and hate like that?'_

"I'll talk to the others, maybe they have an idea of what to do with him…" Tatsumi looked at the still man on the bed and frowned, "Enough is enough…"

"Seiichirou…" Watari smiled, "Stop berating yourself. It's not like there's anything we could've done before this."

"We should've been more alert. We should've known earlier. The rumors were flying and I didn't give a damn…"

"They were rumors. Nothing more than rumors. We didn't know. Hell, even Hakushaku didn't realize anything until a second almost too late!"

"Watari-san's right, Tatsumi-san. We've tried what we could," Hisoka looked at his two seniors intently, "Now, all we can do is try to fix this. We owe him, them… at least that much."

Hours passed by with nothing to be done. Saori and Yuhiko went home, Yuzuru and Miya played scrabble, Haruie and Nagahide played chess, Takaya was lying down on the sofa, Subaru was again standing by the window and looking out at the garden, and Watari was fussing over his unresponsive patient.

The voices around him were a steady hum, a droning murmur with no meaning, as Takaya watched what happened around him with tired eyes.

The world blurred around him, and between dream and reality, he heard the crashing sounds of waves.

_He was on a beach, a beach so dull and gray, he wondered how much must be spent to make this beach into a seaside resort. It was so monotonous that even the sound of the waves sounded the same. _

_Something drew him to walk on, though. Curiosity, maybe. So he walked. And walked some more. And some more…_

_He stopped as he saw the person. He was sitting in front of an unfinished sandcastle. His curiosity flared, he walked up to that person and stood behind him._

"_What are you doing?"_

_The man didn't move, "I'm making sandcastle."_

"_No, you're not. You're staring at a sandcastle."_

"…"

"_You made it?"_

"_Yeah."_

"_Why aren't you finishing it? It's half-done already."_

"…_I'm not sure myself…"_

"_Eh?"_

"_If I try to finish it, it'll be wiped by the waves again. Or I'll trip over it again."_

"_Huh?"_

"_Yeah… might as well left it unfinished…"_

"_But… it's not… right…"_

"_What's not right?"_

"_Leaving it unfinished! I mean, you make it so you can show it off, right? How can you show off an unfinished castle?"_

"_I highly doubt anyone would be around to admire it anyway."_

"_Well, I'm here, and I say you finish it."_

"_It'll be destroyed again."_

"_So you make it again, then."_

"_Already did. Over and over again."_

"_Hmmm… maybe you're building it wrong?"_

"_Eh?"_

"_Maybe it's too… ornamental. Maybe it's too complicated. Maybe you should try to make a simple one first."_

"_Simple?"_

"_Yeah. You know, maybe you made it too clustered. You should make it step by step, the foundation first, and then you carefully make your way up…It doesn't have to be beautiful at first, If you can finish it, then you can strengthen it. Or make a new one, whichever you want."_

"_I don't want a new one. I only want this one."_

"_Well, then, we'll just strengthen this one. After the main structure's finished, then we can put more things to make it more beautiful. More towers, more rooms…"_

"_We…?"_

"_Yeah. I'll help, if you want, besides, sandcastles are fragile and hard to make. Two sets of hands will be better, I think…"_

"…"

"_It's quite alright if you want to make it on your own, though… But I'm willing to help."_

"_Would you really?"_

"_Yeah."_

"_Why?"_

"_Why? I have no idea. Because you look lonely, I guess. And because you're not finishing it, while I want it finished."_

"_Can't I just leave it like this?"_

"_It's half-done! You can't live in a half-done castle!"_

"_I'll only destroy it again…"_

"_You wouldn't know until you try…"_

"_If it's destroyed, then what?"_

"_I've told you, we'll just make it all over again."_

"_Again… and again…"_

"_Hey, at least we're trying. You're not getting anywhere if you don't try. Can't make a sunny-side-up if you won't break the egg!"_

_The man laughed, "I guess so…"_

"_That's the spirit!"_

"_You'll help?"_

"_Of course!"_

_Takaya dropped down on his knees beside the man and grinned, finally looking at the man's face for the first time._

_A handsome face with serene eyes missed so much, a soul yearned for years and years and years… missed chances happened simply because of foolish pride and the absence of courage to take the proffered chances, needs twisted into chains, love altered into obsession… hope bent into anger, fear leads to despair…_

_Sandcastles…_

Takaya jolted awake with a strangled cry.

"Kagetora!"

Haruie knocked over her chair rushing to his side.

Takaya sat there, trembling, his fists clutching a blanket, a hundred of emotions in his heart, all rushing to come out at the same time, and he was stumped.

"Kagetora?"

All emotions washed up into one giant pain latching onto his soul.

The wall shattered.

"Naoe…"

"He got in! I can't believe it! He got in!"

"How? He's not a yumemi! I know he's not a yumemi!"

"Yoshiaki, did you drag him in?"

"Damn hell I didn't! You know I'm not that strong!"

"He's right, Shuhei…"

"Well, how did he got in, then? Takaya…You're not a yumemi, are you?"

"Not as far as I know…"

"Is Kagetora a yumemi?"

"Nope."

"Then… how?"

"Kuzuki-san… did you do anything?"

"Did not, Tatsumi-san…"

"Hokuto-chan?"

"No, Tsuzuki-chan."

"Then who?"

"Calm down, Ayako…"

"It's a good thing, right? I mean, him getting in?"

"He was booted out, Hisoka."

"Please please please tell me that Naoe's making the damn castle again…"

"Yeah… not really."

"Eh?"

"Kagetora promised to help him. So he's waiting for the preferred help. He's making the castle, though."

"Is that supposed to be good or bad?"

"I don't know. Ne, Yoshiaki, how do we get my kanshosha in again?"

"I have no idea, Takaya…. No idea at all…"

_tbc…_

_Like usual, some author's ramblings/notes (a really long one…)_

_This will be the notes for all chapters posted except prequel ( prologue-O, 1, 2), because my student SarahSith asked for it! Yes, the characters are off! I have no idea how to make them not off characters! I try to stick as close as possible to their original psyche, although I have a feeling that it's hopeless… hopefully there will still be someone who read this… Any misspelling of names and words and grammatical errors are solely my fault…_

_**Prologue (or the demented Chapter 0)**_

_The idea of Naoe being a yumemi actually comes up from the hotel room scene. He's still dressed in his suit… and my guess is that it's somewhere late at night. He's not sleeping. Insomnia? Or because he dreams of the future to come whenever he goes to sleep? (That's my friend's idea… it's mutated in the story.)_

_The Uesugi history sounded like fun to do… heheheh…_

_Asaoka Maiko. Did I get the name right?_

_I've read somewhere that Yoshiaki has two older brothers and an older sister… I hope it's not wrong. And as why his family knows about kanshosha… more in chapters to come._

**Chapter 1**

_X characters start to appear. I've always wondered how Sumeragi Hokuto got into Kuzuki Kakyou's dreamscape in the first place. Maybe she's a dream-roamer? I think it's quite fitting if I have her walking around from one dreamscape to another… Even after she died._

_Sumeragi Subaru, my favorite X character. He's a top onmyoji and a Dragon of Heaven/Earth (ehhhh… yeah… right…), went catatonic at the age of sixteen (I also read somewhere that the same thing happened to Naoe/Yoshiaki when he was seven…) His grandmother was the Head of Sumeragi before him. It sure fit if she can also go 'within'…_

_Kamui, Hokuto, and Kakyou as shinigami? Quite correct but not really, Lyn-dear… shinigami is a term applied for EnMaCho's Shokanka workers, but beside them, there are still plenty of other workers in Yami no Matsuei's Meifu… And with powers as great as that… I have to say, I'm inspired by **Kouri and Karasu's** **'Atropos'** series._

_Hakushaku is the keeper of The House of Candles. His duty is putting off human soul's candles…_

_Muraki's real nature comes up in chapter 2. 'Subaru-kun' is how Sakurazuka Seishirou called Subaru, and 'Seishirou-san' is how Subaru called his nemesis. Sakurazukamori is… somebody help me explain Sakurazukamori, please? The closest I can get is 'an assassin who's main job is feeding a certain sakura tree at Ueno Park'_

_Nope, my Ougi Miya is not humbly unaware._

_As why I chose Subaru to be Naoe's friend… They were both catatonic at one time of their lives, both involved in a love-hate relationship, both carry the duty to save the world, both knows about magical things, and are both as messed up as they can be. The Royal angstiness indeed._

_Can Subaru exorcise a kanshosha? He's a Dragon of both sides, and a Sakurazukamori. Yeah… I think he can._

_Clamp Gakuen Board: Imonoyama Nokoru, the headmaster (Rijichou), Takamura Suoh, the secretary and Head of Takamura Ninja Family, and Ijyuin Akira, the treasurer, famous chef, and The Nijumensou, a thief operating under his mothers' wishes. Idoumu is another student from Nokoru's elementary time and also Nokoru's childhood friend who is a genius in both computer and martial arts. All of them survive the '99 battle (I hope…)_

_Shinken project, the term I make that refers to the making and altering of Clamp Gakuen into Shinken's hiding place, and everything that has anything to do with X'99._

_The last part is explained in the second chapter, I'm sure…_

_**Chapter 2.**_

_The telepathic connections between The Tree and his keeper, and the term Tree-san, can be blamed to any **Kouri and Karasu's X fanfics, 'Atropos'** the most._

_Watari Yutaka is the crazy scientist from the sixth sector of Shokan-ka, Tatsumi Seiichirou's the shadow master secretary, the empath boy Kurosaki Hisoka and twelve-shikigami-wielder Tsuzuki Asato belong the second sector. **'Bon'** is how Watari calls Hisoka, while **'Bouya'** is how Muraki calls him; **'Kurosaki-kun'** is how Tatsumi calls him. Muraki's obsession toward Tsuzuki is a little hard to explain, in short, he wants to use Tsuzuki's immortal body to resurrect his half-brother Shidou Saki (more like Muraki Saki, really…) so he can kill him again…no… it's a lot more complicated than that, really, it is…_

_The explanation of Shinigami comes directly from Theria's translation of Yami no Matsuei._

_Subaru's kekkai… no, not that star-shaped kekkai. I mean the usual kekkai that anyone can make…_

_Kurama, one of the Reikai Tantei (Spirit Detective) who works under the command of KoEnMaDaiOh (EnMaDaiOh's son, Yuu Yuu Hakusho version). I assume they're all linked together. Kurama is a heartless fox spirit who, possessing a human body after an incident with a hunter, grew into this smart handsome and loving man due to his human mother's love. He's a proficient healer and has a good knowledge of plants, medicine, and the like._

_Yes. Shinigami are dead people…_

_As for Watari's new partner, Yoshiaki-Takaya-Shuhei-Ayako, and all things not understood yet… More details in next chapters…_

_You don't really have to know about X Clamp, Yami no Matsuei, and/or Yuu Yuu Haksuho to get the story, but a little knowledge might give you a more in-depth story._

_Any questions about the characters/ plot/ this/ that/ whoever/ whatever can be asked freely, and will be answered truthfully. Creating a crossover story with the hope that everyone can understand what I'm talking about is almost impossible, after all._

_For all those who'd R/R… thanks a lot! Lyn-dear, I'll give you your Muraki, and I hope you've caught the hint of your YnM favorite couple… _

_The whole series is slowly changing into a trilogy…_

_This is one hell of a long note…_

_Thanks for reading!_

_THR_


	4. Chapter 3

_Here's Lamentation: Chapter 3!_

_This is a crossover fic. You'll find people from other animes walking around, some merely passerby and some hold the key to the fic. But all in all, this is an MoB fic. The inserted characters happened because I don't know many people in MoB world..._

_sigh..._

_I've only watched the thirteen episodes of MoB, so I'm going to ignore everything that happened after (or before) that... I'll try not to ruin anything, though... _

_This happened a few weeks (or months) after the 'pier incident'... and after '99._

_R/R are greatly appreciated!_

Lamentation 

**Chapter 3**

**Dreamer**

Monou Kotori died before she had the chance to explore her potential as a yumemi. After her death, though, she found that people like her are too valuable to let go, and that there's procedural jurisdiction in Meifu. She accepted the first offer to be stationed as an annainin, a Reikai soul-ferry girl, instantaneously; after all, her heart was still tied to the world she wants to protect. She observed the '99 battle with Sumeragi Hokuto by her side.

And now the peace made upon the pain and tears of so many friends was threatened yet again. Kotori couldn't accept that. So she pushed.

After finding out that Hokuto and Kakyou had known Naoe Nobutsuna before, she found the needed gap, and simply let everything flows by itself. Catching Seishirou's attention was easy, considering that Subaru also knows the Kanshosha. Getting Kamui's interest was even easier; after all, the peace was again threatened.

She kept on watching.

The accident was unfortunate, and she was afraid, so very afraid that she'd lost the soul she wanted to protect, but, once again, fate was in her (or his) favor. And then Muraki entered the picture.

She moved. Got Tatsumi's attention in a mere second, got Hakushaku's agreement in a blink of an eye, Enma's blessing along with it, and the full support of the whole Shokan-ka and beyond.

And she had come to see them; her eyes full with determination, and asked if she could join the whole thing.

Kotori had looked at the quartet of shukutai souls, and when all four nodded, she knew that she had the group completed.

There's no sorrow beyond this.

Enough is enough.

They're breaking the chain.

No one destroys the world made on the sacrifice of her blood.

"Niichan?"

Takaya looked up from his huddled position to see his sister holding out a cup of coffee to him. He accepted it, deeply inhaling the sweet scent, but not drinking it.

"Ne, Takaya… what's wrong?" asked Yuzuru.

"Yeah… was it a nightmare?" asked Haruie.

Takaya shook his head, "I don't know…"

Watari's cell phone rang ('_shinigami has cell phone?' _Nagahide thought) and the scientist picked it up, "Moshi-moshi, Watari desu. Oh, Tatsumi… Yes, how did you know? Eh? EH? Really! How? Oh… okay then, I'll ask."

The blond hung up the phone and looked at Takaya, carefully contemplating his words, "Kagetora-san… did you just enter Naoe-san's dreamscape?"

Takaya put down the cup, "So it was true, then?"

"Well, our watchers said so…"

"But, that's impossible…" Subaru shook his head, "unless Kagetora himself is a yumemi.'

"He's not, I assure you," Watari said, "But he did enter the dreamscape... Kagetora-san… do you mind telling me what happened there, in the dream?"

Takaya looked bewildered, "I'm not sure… there was a beach… a very dull beach… I was walking there… and then Naoe was there… but I didn't know that it's Naoe…"

Haruie was confused, "Kagetora… you're not making any sense…"

"That's okay," Subaru encouraged the confused teenager, "Go on."

"Well, he was making this sandcastle… but he's not… so I asked why he's… not finishing it… and he said that it'll be destroyed again? I don't know… it's all so blurry…"

"And?"

"I told him that I'll help him… and then I saw his face, I mean, I recognized him… I didn't before, why didn't I?"

"Kagetora-san…"

"And then I woke up, I think…"

Watari walked over to the bed, fussed over Naoe for a while, and returned to them, his eyes hard.

"Well, he's fighting again."

"Eh?" Haruie exclaimed, "That's good, isn't it?"

"Um… but we still need to get him out, then, because if he can get out by himself, he would've done so by now."

"He's trapped in?" confirmed Subaru.

"Maybe. I'm not even sure if he realized that he's in a dreamscape. Kagetora-san… in the dream… did he recognize you? Called you by name?" Watari inquired.

"No…"

"Damn…"

"But he's fighting again, right?" Nagahide asked, "Then if we… say… call him again now… he'd be able to hear us?"

"We'll need to be faster than that."

Watari whirled around to see Tatsumi stepped out from a sliver of shadow beside the only wardrobe in the room.

"Tatsumi?" Watari sighed, all business again.

"We have to act faster. There's a notion that Tachibana Yoshiaki's body is going to fail sooner than we think."

"Eh?"

"Tachibana-san's currently concentrated in maintaining Naoe-san's soul, so no one is maintaining his body."

"Heee… And a body without a soul is as good as dead."

"There's one more thing, really…"

"Oh?"

"Kurosaki-kun's worried about Muraki. Tsuzuki-san, too. Who knows what he might've done before we came into the picture."

"Wouldn't Tachibana know?"

"We're talking about Muraki here. Psychotic doctor can do anything."

"Damn, I should've got rid of him in the first place…" Subaru grumbled.

"And there's another thing…"

"Heh?"

"It seems that the other participants of Yami Sengoku is currently gathering their forces."

"Already?" Subaru looked surprised.

"What?" asked Haruie.

"Are you sure?" Yuzuru paled.

"How come we don't know about it?" Nagahide cursed.

"Unless I'm very much mistaken, you've spent your time here since last night," Watari shrugged.

"Ne, Watari-san, Tatsumi-san… The Dragon of Heaven's Yumemi, Hinoto… Her sister Kanoe said that she once had a dream of a war… not the Shinken Battle, I mean…" Subaru hesitated.

"Yes. Our Yumemi also mentioned the same thing…" Tatsumi sighed, "Which is exactly why we need to move fast. The force that has the power to stop Yami Sengoku are the Meikai Uesugi force, and the Yasashuu is already one person short even without Naoe-san's absence."

"Is it only me," Miya interrupted suddenly, "Or are you rushing things because you need Naoe-san to fight for you?"

Watari sighed, "I don't say that I like it, but we do need him to fight. The problem is, can he?"

"The body's healed, right?"

"Yes, Tatsumi… but his soul will need time to be able to perform exorcism. Hell, I'm not sure he's capable of performing anything related to his duty so soon after waking up. If he wakes up, that is…"

"Well, he's not going to be sent on as long as the contract still stands."

"Contract?" asked Haruie.

Tatsumi nodded, "Yes. Why do you think you're capable in taking other people's body without consequences? There's contract on your souls, made by Uesugi Kenshin long ago. It states your existence as a part of Reikai's force under EnMaDaiOh which duty is to prevent, stall, delay, or stop Yami Sengoku, whichever way possible."

"But…" Takaya looked confused, "I thought that anyone can perform possessions…"

"Yes, but not without consequences," Watari explained, "Taking a body and pushing the original soul out is considered as murder, you know. Only those who are given the right to do so can do so without the said consequences. Not even we Shinigami can take over a person's body."

"But… I thought that we decided which body we take…" Nagahide hesitated, "Are you telling me that all of the possession were… well… orchestrated?"

"No, of course not, but there are three kinds of possession, be they're performed on adult or infant. The first is the ordinary one where you simply push out the original soul out and steal the body. The original soul would be sent on if willing, turned into ghost or vengeful spirit if unwilling, or… well… destroyed. The second is where the original souls allow you to use their body. The third is where you take a dead body. Your kinds of possession are the second, or the third one, but certainly not the first."

The kanshosha looked at Tatsumi with wide eyes.

"But… if we're allowed to use the body…" Takaya stuttered, "What happen to the original souls?"

"There are three possibilities. They can be sent on, joined the other Reikai ranks, or become Guardian Spirits."

"So… they're not destroyed?" Nagahide asked

"Certainly not."

"And they hold no grudge against us?" asked Haruie.

"Not as far as I can tell."

"You are sure?" pressed Takaya.

"I've known some people whose body were taken over by some of you. As far as I can tell, they're quite proud that they're chosen to be your shukutai."

Takaya let out an explosive sigh, "You have no idea how that relieved me…"

"Make that all of us…" Haruie chokingly laughed, "All along living under stress, thinking that we've stolen someone's life…"

Nagahide nodded solemnly.

"But, because you're using another person's body," Watari continued, "your soul became more fragile than others, because there's no connection between the body and the soul."

"You mean the link that keeps the soul in the body?" asked Yuzuru, "I think Subaru-san explained it before…"

"Makes sense that you know," Tatsumi nodded to the Sumeragi, "Being the top onmyoji you are. That's what we're worrying here. Although the body is… mending… but if we don't… pull the soul back in fast…"

"The body might shut down on its own," Subaru nodded.

"How do we do it then?" asked Miya.

Takaya stood up and strode over to the bed.

Haruie was about to follow, but Watari held her back.

Takaya sat by the bed, his hand reached out to clasped Naoe's unresponsive one. He leaned closer, calling his aide gently, yet forcefully, alternating between asking, begging, and ordering him to wake up.

Tatsumi shook his head, "That won't work…"

"Any idea?" asked Watari.

"Strangely enough, yes. But… That'll depend on how strong he is…"

"You're not thinking of…"

"Wait here, Watari. Be ready for anything."

And the formidable secretary disappeared into his own shadow.

"Tatsumi-san?"

Tatsumi looked at the people gathered in the meeting room, some from his own department, some from the departments beyond, some his own colleagues and friends and family, and some he'd just known for days.

"Any idea how to get Kagetora-san back into the dreamscape fast?"

Kuzuki Kakyou, the Dragon of Earth's Yumemi, nodded, "Get him to sleep, then I can drag him in, maybe. Not everyone can venture into dreamscape, especially an uncontrolled one like that."

"I can venture in, and also Fuuma…" Shirou Kamui, the Kamui of The Dragon of Heaven, offered, referring to Monou Fuuma, the Kamui of the Dragon of Earth.

"I'm quite sure that Kagetora-san has enough spiritual power to do so," Sumeragi Hokuto, Sumeragi Subaru's twin sister, nodded, "If a weak onmyoji like me could venture in before, so can he."

"Mm… although maybe it will be necessary to weaken the dreamscape first… you know, so it can easily be altered…" Monou Kotori, the last Kamui sacrifice and current Reikai Annainin, spoke haltingly, "After all… we may need to grab the control…"

"Won't it be dangerous?" asked Tsuzuki Asato, the older shinigami of the Kyuushu partners.

"Tsuzuki's right…" Kurosaki Hisoka frowned, "After all, Naoe-san might not even know that he's in his own dreamscape…"

"Maybe we should make him realize it, then…" Arisugawa Sorata, one of Kamui's Dragon of Heaven, offered.

"How?" asked Tachibana Yoshiaki tiredly, "I couldn't even get him to notice anything else beside that damned sandcastle… I made an illusion of Sengoku around him and he didn't even look up!"

"Maybe you should let go for while, Yoshiaki," Kadowaki Ayako considered, "You can't keep on anchoring his soul forever."

"He'll be lost if he's not anchored," Ougi Takaya grumbled, "honestly… can't he just mope normally?"

"It's because he can't mope normally that he uses the dreamscape," reminded Chiaki Shuhei, "Not that I blame him, though… Forced to be strong all the time takes its own toll to a soul."

"Four hundred years…" Kasumi Karen sighed, "They've been doing this for four hundred years…"

"Makes you wonder how they do it, eh?" Sakurazuka Seishirou, former Sakurazukamori and current shinigami of Area Six smiled bitterly.

"Well, as long as the annainin don't take the soul, and as long as the contract stands, his soul is… in a way… safe…" Hisoka said.

"Yeah… if he's not destroyed, or destroying himself…" Yoshiaki grumbled.

"He's making the castle again, right?" asked Tatsumi.

"Yes," Kakyou nodded, "although he seemed to be hesitating more…"

"We really need to get Kagetora in…" Ayako pressed.

"Any idea how to do it safely, I mean, without endangering the dreamscape and the soul within?" asked Sorata.

"Getting Kagetora in might take forever," Kamui considered, "And even if we can get him in, how can we be sure that he can convince Naoe-san to get out?"

"Knowing Kagetora, he might make him stay in forever because of a slip of tongue," Takaya huffed.

"We can't risk the soul got hurt again…" Hokuto said softly.

"Well, we can't exactly just grab him out, too," Shuhei shook his head.

"Maybe…"

"Kitazato-san?"

The beautiful woman who was sitting silently before looked at Tatsumi, her bright eyes comprehending something deeply, "If we can, say… link up their soul, Kagetora and Naoe… when Kagetora get out of the dreamscape, Naoe will be dragged long… that is, if Kagetora can't convince Naoe to get out."

"But, won't it… traumatize the soul?"

"Not necessarily…" Seishirou looked interested, "Not if we link the soul through something else."

"I'm not following you…" Karen frowned.

"We're worried that Naoe's dreamscape wont stand under the pressure of housing too many people in, yet we need at least Kagetora and Kakyou-san in. So, instead of getting in, why don't we just merge the dreamscape we have into his? Kakyou-san's can be linked with Yoshiaki-san's, which is already linked to Naoe's through the shukutai-bond. Hisoka-san's empathy can help us determine how far can we push, or pull. Seishirou-san can help us manage the soul-bind Subaru-san cast on Naoe through his connection with the Tree. We get Kagetora in, let him try to convince Naoe to get out, if it failed, we get Kagetora out, dragging Naoe along with him"

"We merge the dreamscape, take control of it and the soul, and drag him out and back into his body," Kakyou nodded.

"The damage to the soul can be minimized through the soul bind," Seishirou nodded, "And I can still control The Tree's power if necessary, bridging everything between this side and that side."

"I can blast anything that might bother the process…" Kamui offered.

"I can help maintaining the dreamscape," Kotori smiled.

"I guess I'll be watching over Kagetora, then," Takaya sighed.

"It's a little rough, but we don't have much choice. After that, I'll block his dreamscape so he can't accidentally venture in," Yoshiaki nodded.

"He's going to need one hell of a counseling session…" Ayako sighed.

"They'd be okay if they'd just talk and be honest with themselves," Shuhei grumbled.

"Well, then… how do we link Kagetora-san and Naoe-san's soul, though?" asked Kamui.

"Let me do it."

"Kitazato-san? Can you really do it?" asked Hokuto.

"Of course…" Kotori smiled slightly, "You're a top annainin, soul linking will not be hard for you, and you're familiar with both souls, aren't you? You can bridge them through your soul."

Kitazato Minako smiled tightly, "One of them is the father of my child and the other used my body as his shukutai, both of them are the people I respect and love. I know their souls intimately."

Tatsumi nodded, "Then we shall do so. When can we do it?"

"What about now?"

"Let me share this with Watari first."

"Whoaaa!!! That's so cool!"

The other occupants of the room, the conscious ones, that is, looked at the crowing scientist oddly.

Watari Yutaka was standing by the window, cell phone on his ears, his fingers drumming the windowpanes excitedly.

"Okay, okay! I'm telling them! That's the coolest plan anyone can ever come up with, Tatsumi! We should recruit her! Yeah… I know… okay. Let me know when you're ready."

He hung up the phone and turned around, smiling brightly, "We may find a way to wake sleeping beauty up!"

"Really?" asked Takaya, his eyes shining.

"Don't get your hopes up yet, children," Watari took up his large book and began writing again, and shut it with aloud snap.

"So?"

"So… Kagetora-san… we will need your help."

"Anything."

"We're getting you into the dreamscape again, and we'll need you to talk to him, convince him to come out. If you can't, don't push him, you might break his soul. There are other ways. If you can't, we'll get you out, and then…"

"And then?" asked Haruie.

"And then we can try again later. We have to be really patient."

"But…"

"But what, Takaya?" asked Yuzuru.

"I didn't… know him when I got in before… How do I know that I can remember what I have to do? I mean, it's a dream, right?"

"We will have our Yumemi watching over you, and Bon will make sure that you don't push Naoe-san too hard. Right now, too much can break his soul."

"Well?" asked Nagahide, "When are we doing it?"

"What about now?"

Miya strode away and locked the door, "There. No one will bother us."

"Subaru-san, a little help here?" asked Watari, "just in case rogue onshou decided to interfere the ritual?"

Subaru nodded, "I'll set the kekkai."

"Make sure that you also pay close attention to the soul-bind. You have to let it go as soon as he wakes up."

"Why not keep it on?"

"I'd rather not chain a soul, really… but if we still need to bind the soul, I'll let you know."

"Okay, then, you know better."

"The rest of you, just stay back, and call him! Call him from the depth of your heart, hopefully it'll add to the pull."

Yuzuru nodded. Miya simply took a chair and sat there, Nagahide and Haruie followed suit.

"Now remember, all of you will be pulled in, but only Kagetora may do anything! Do you understand, Kagetora-san? It's up to you now, but don't push it. If we say stop, then stop!"

Takaya held Naoe's hand tighter, and nodded.

The cell phone rang, and Watari flipped it open, "Tatsumi? Yes, we're ready."

Takaya opened his eyes to see the same dull beach he'd seen before. Only this time, he knew where he was. Instead of walking slowly, he ran, following his heart.

Behind him, still on their respective places, were the spectators, the living and the dead separated by a veil that allows the dead to see the living, but not the other way around.

Kakyou stood there, Minako beside him, Takaya and Yoshiaki flanking them, Kotori and Kamui behind them. Hisoka stood beside Seishirou, a little to the back, intent in focusing toward the emotions of his two objects of attention, Tatsumi's shadow barrier around him, helping him to control his empathy, and the person controlling it standing right behind him. Seishirou was keeping a close watch on the soul-bind, and furtively stealing glances on the new Sakurazukamori.

Subaru was completely unaware, though, his attention directed onto the kekkai he created and the soul bind. Nagahide and Haruie were silent, as well as Yuzuru and Miya, although keen seriousness was evident in their eyes and prayer on the tip of their tongue.

Watari stood by the divider, the only shinigami the living can see.

Takaya stopped.

It was still the same. Naoe was still there, kneeling there… but he's making the castle.

Takaya couldn't help it. He grinned.

_ Be careful _ a voice he recognized as the empath boy's voice, Hisoka's, rang in his head, _ Don't frighten him. Just help him with the castle. If it's finished, you can get him out. _

So Takaya did just that. He strode over and plopped down beside Naoe.

"Yo! How's the castle?"

Naoe looked at him, and Takaya wondered if his eyes were making illusion, or was Naoe looked younger?

"Oh, you come."

"I promised you, didn't I?" Takaya grinned, his heart was beating thrice faster, "So, how is it?"

"Mmm… I'm doing it the way you said… not too ornamental… but it looked like a fortress."

"So what? Good castles are meant to be fortress. A good lord must be able to shield his people behind his walls should a war erupted."

"Now… where did I hear it before…"

"Honestly, I have no idea…"

"So, are you helping me?"

"Sure am!"

Behind them, Minako silently did her part of duty, and smiled at Hisoka as the two souls linked easily.

Hisoka smiled back.

Yoshiaki carefully took over the dreamscape and handed the control over to Kakyou.

"Looks okay to me," Takaya commented.

Naoe nodded, "Yeah. Hopefully it's strong enough."

_ Now. Remind him of who he is… _ Hisoka's voice rang again.

"Ne, why are you here?" Takaya asked offhandedly.

"Eh?"

"Here, in this dreary beach! I've seen better beaches!"

"I… don't know…" Naoe stopped molding a tower, "I'm just… here…"

"Well, I can show you better beaches, really! I'll take you there, if you want to."

"Really?"

"Yeah, whenever you want. You can make better castle there, you know. The sand's too soft to mold."

"But…"

"You don't want another castle, I know. Fine then, we'll just take this one with us! I'm sure I can make it strong enough to be carried…"

Naoe chuckled, "How?"

"I don't know… cementing it?"

Naoe laughed, his eyes shining, "How do you cement a sandcastle?"

"Hmmm… I'll just have to find out how, I guess," Takaya raked a hand through his hair, inadvertently getting sand on his head.

"Stop it, you're getting sand all over you!" Naoe took his hand away and ruffled his hair in an attempt of cleaning it, "You're a mess."

Takaya's breath hitched, "Naoe…"

Naoe stilled.

_ Stop it, Kagetora-san! You're moving too fast! _

Ignoring the voice in his head, Takaya reached out his hand, carefully brushing his fingers on Naoe's cheek.

"Naoe…"

Naoe raised his hand, hesitantly touching the hand on his cheek.

"Come back to me, Naoe… I miss you…"

A single tear fell, followed by another, and then another, wetting Takaya's face.

Naoe wiped away the tears softly, "Why crying?"

"Because I miss you… Because you're not beside me…"

"I'm… not?"

Takaya shook his head, "Come back to me, Naoe… I miss you…"

Naoe's eyes widened suddenly as a wave of memory hit him. A memory of a name…

"Kagetora-sama…"

Takaya nodded.

"Takaya-san…"

A tear fell accompanying that name. Takaya leaned over to kiss it away, carefully giving Naoe a hug.

"Come back to me…"

And Naoe hugged back.

Kakyou raised his arm, the scene around them changed into his favorite beach with the light blue sky, golden sand, cool breeze and flying seagulls.

One final gift to the dreamer.

_ Now. Subaru-san! _

Subaru let the reibaku go, at the same time Seishirou sent his power through The Tree to link the two different planes together.

In one brief moment, the two planes merged into one.

Kakyou booted out the living from his dreamscape.

Yoshiaki sealed Naoe's dreamscape.

Hisoka cut of his empathic connection with the two souls.

But Minako kept the souls linked.

Takaya blinked.

Carefully sitting straight, he realized that he had fallen asleep holding Naoe's hand.

Fallen asleep…

'_Gods! The Dreamscape!'_ he thought frantically.

A pair of hands grabbed his shoulder, preventing him from leaping up, and he saw Watari standing behind him.

"Don't rush it, Kagetora-san. It was sheer luck that he didn't throw you out from his dreamscape. Now, call him, but don't rush it!"

Takaya nodded.

Watari left his side and moved toward the group of people on the various sofa and chairs, all in a similar state of waking up.

"What happened?" asked Yuzuru.

"He rushed things," Watari gripped, "But it should be okay. It better be okay."

"Has he woken up?" asked Miya.

"Sleeping beauty? No. But it might take awhile anyway."

"How much of awhile?" Haruie inquired.

"Depends on how strong he is physically, and mentally."

"But he will wake up, right?" pressed Nagahide.

"He's not in the dreamscape anymore, so he will wake up, only I don't know when."

"Well, then, we'll just wait…"

"Subaru-san?"

"Yes?"

"Are you okay? You look kinda pale."

"I'm okay, Watari-san…"

Watari scrunched his face, "Something wrong?"

"No… it's just… in the dreamscape… I felt something…"

"Something?"

"Mmm… probably just me. Never mind."

"Yeah… right."

'_Seishirou, I don't care what you say, you're a stupid coward.'_ Watari thought.

_The first thing he was aware of, was warmth. It was like covered in a woolen blanket, held in his mother's arms. _

_His mother?_

_No… she's not his mother. She's his body's mother. Yoshiaki's mother._

_He's not Yoshiaki._

_But then…_

_Who is he?_

_Voices…_

_**Naoe… come back to me…**_

_Naoe?_

_Is that… me?_

_**I miss you…**_

_Who?_

_**Open your eyes…**_

_Why?_

_**Wake up…**_

_But I am awake…_

'_No, you're not.'_

'_Eh?'_

'_You're not awake yet, Nobutsuna. Go back. Follow that voice.'_

'_That voice?'_

'_Yes. He's waiting for you. Go.'_

'_But… who is he?'_

'_Don't you know?'_

_Visions of memories came swirling in his mind, of a person by his side. Or is it the other way around?_

'_Do you remember him?'_

'_He's… Kagetora-sama…'_

'_Yes, and now…'_

'_Takaya-san…'_

'_Yes. He's calling you. Can you hear him?'_

_**Come back to me…**_

'_But… it can't be…'_

'_What can't be?'_

'_Him! He doesn't… need me…' _

'_I beg to differ, Nobutsuna. He needs you as much as you need him.'_

'_But…'_

'_Don't you want to be with him?'_

'_Yes…but…'_

'_Then go back. Follow his voice. He's waiting for you. All of them are.'_

'_All of… who?'_

'_Nagahide, Haruie… or have you forgotten?'_

'_Yasashuu…'_

'_And Tousama, Kaasama, Teruhiro-ani, Yoshihiro-niisama, Saeko-ane…'_

'_Aaa…'_

'_They're waiting for you…'_

'_I…'_

'_Go back.'_

_And he felt that he was being pulled._

'_Wait! You… who are you?!'_

_For a moment, hands grasped his, and he found himself face to face with Tachibana Yoshiaki._

_His shukutai smiled._

'_Go! Don't waste the life I've given you. Go, and live! Live like I would have!'_

'_You are…'_

'_I am you. I exist for you, because of you. Now go.'_

'_I… killed you…'_

_Yoshiaki laughed._

'_No, you did not, I was born dead, remember? You took over the body after my soul went out. Besides, I want it that way. For you to use my body.'_

'_I'm… sorry…'_

'_Don't be, Nobutsuna. I'm not.'_

_The pull was getting stronger._

'_Go! He's waiting for you.'_

'_What about you?'_

'_Oh, I'll be around. You don't know it, but I'm always around. A careless stubborn kanshosha like you needs watching over 24/7!'_

'_Yoshiaki…'_

'_Go!'_

_And then there was light so bright…_

And his eyes blinked open.

"Naoe!"

He blinked again.

"Naoe! You're awake!"

"Stop it, Bakatora, you're over-reacting!"

"Naoe! Oh, Naoe… you're scaring me…"

"Not you too, Haruie…"

"You really overdid it this time, Yoshiaki…"

"Alright, people, I need to check on him. Scramble!"

Naoe blinked again.

Nagahide, Haruie, and Subaru stood back, while a man with messy long blond hair fussed over him…

The world was still hazy… but little by little, it cleared up.

He realized that his hand was held so tight, so he moved his head a little to see who was holding his hand, and found Takaya.

Oddly enough, this felt like déjàvu. Was there a time when he woke up like this before?

Oh, yeah… that time… the ghost hunting vacation.

"Naoe-san?"

He turned his attention to the blond doctor.

"I am Watari Yutaka, I'm your doctor here. You should be okay now that you're awake, but your body must hurt like hell, so bear with it. And, as weird as it is, you must be really tired. So, I suggest you to rest, okay?"

"Will it be okay? I mean, if he sleeps?" Takaya looked worried, "He's not going to be trapped in that dreamscape thing again, right?"

"It'll be okay. We'd make sure that it's sealed for awhile."

"Oh…"

Dreamscape? He never told anyone about the dreamscape… Not even Subaru…

Subaru…

What happened?

"Takaya-san…"

'_Damn, I sound awful…'_ he thought.

Takaya smiled brilliantly, "You're okay now, Naoe. Watari-sensei said you'll be okay, so you have to be okay, okay?"

Watari laughed, "Kagetora-san, you're babbling."

Confusion sank in.

'_What happened?' _Naoe thought frantically, _"why am I… in a hospital?"_

But it should be okay. His Yasashuu comrades were there with him. Subaru's there, too…

Wait… Why're they all here? He never told about Subaru to his Yasashuu friends…

_ What the hell are you doing? Aren't you supposed to rest? _A voice in his head sighed, _Honestly, Nobutsuna… you need to sleep, I mean, really sleep! _

_ Yoshiaki? _

_ Who else, baka? Now sleep, or I'll knock you out myself. Kagetora's not going anywhere. _

Memories came in pieces too confusing to be understood, so he let them be.

"Get some rest, Naoe. I'll be here when you wake up," Takaya said softly.

_ You heard the man. Get some rest. I'll wake you up. _

So he did just that. He closed his eyes, trusting his friends to be there.

On the verge of sleep, he felt warm lips on his forehead…

Takaya…

He must be dreaming.

_ Oh, man… Nobutsuna, you're hopeless… _

"Well, one case solved," Tsuzuki huffed.

"Yeah, another one on the way," Konoe-Kacho dropped a batch of files on the desk.

Sorata groaned, "Man… Can't we even get some rest?"

"Yeah," Kamui sighed, "Can't we have a moment of peace?"

"Peace is only for fools, Shirou-kun," Tatsumi said absently, "So, Kacho, we're all in this case, eh?"

"Yeah. The people upstairs are restless, so we're given full authority."

"It's true, then," Seishirou thought loudly.

"Yes. It is true."

"What's true?" asked Hisoka.

"Mmm… the thing is…"

_TBC…_

**Some author's note:**

_This chapter is a crap…I know that. Bear with me, please, I was totally blocked. More on the way soon (hopefully)…_

_THR_


	5. Chapter 4

_Here's Lamentation: Chapter 4!_

_This is a crossover fic. You'll find people from other animes walking around, some merely passerby and some hold the key to the fic. But all in all, this is an MoB fic. The inserted characters happened because I don't know many people in MoB world..._

_sigh..._

_I've only watched the thirteen episodes of MoB, so I'm going to ignore everything that happened after (or before) that... I'll try not to ruin anything, though... _

_This happened a few weeks (or months) after the 'pier incident'... and after '99._

_R/R are greatly appreciated!_

Lamentation 

**Chapter 4**

**Truth**

Kitazato Minako had her own reason when she accepted the position as a Reikai Annainin. First, she could keep an eye of the movement of souls. Two, she has the access for the Annainin's copy of Kiseki, The Book Of The Dead. Three, her feelings to the two souls she'd known intimately.

Kagetora, her lover. Naoe, the one who love her lover.

Something told her not to move on. Something told her that she had to stick around. Something told her that maybe… just maybe… she can help make things right…

When she withdrew from the dreamscape, she kept the two souls together not because she can't separate them again, but because together, the two souls were too beautiful to be separated.

Naoe Nobutsuna woke up.

Waking up, to him, had always been a gradual process, although he's always capable of jumping up quickly when needed. But when there's no danger about, waking up is a long process.

He blinked; his eyes traced the ceiling. Instead of getting up, though, he reveled in the warmth of the blanket. In his current body, Tachibana Yoshiaki, for lack of better word, loved to sleep.

It's the only way for the soul of Naoe Nobutsuna to have a rest.

Yoshiaki's body was not weak, but it was weaker than his previous body. With the way he died the last time, the desperate taking of a dead infant body, and the depression, how he survived the years he'd lived as Tachibana Yoshiaki, he had no idea…

Maybe it's because his desperate hope to see Kagetora-sama again…

Now he'd found his master.

There's also Haruie… Nagahide… Irobe-san… Yuzuru…

Kagetora… Or rather… Takaya…

He was being melancholic.

Or being plain honest with himself.

He decided to get up, so he sat up, swung his long legs out of the bed, comb his messy hair with his fingers, and stood up.

Well… he tried to.

He found that he was too weak to move his body, that his whole body ached in places he never thought could hurt, that his head was killing him, and that the world was spinning around him.

He did the most logical thing to do. He closed his eyes and grabbed the nearest pillar of strength around him.

Fingers grasped back, and he was anchored.

"Naoe? You okay? Are you hurt anywhere?"

'That voice…Can't be…' 

"Sorry, I must've fallen asleep. Do you need anything?"

Light brown eyes opened and blinked sleepily at Takaya's concerned and tired face over him, looking at him intently.

Naoe blinked again.

Takaya smiled, and leaned even closer, "Okaeri, Naoe."

Naoe could only blinked.

"You really scared me this time, you know?"

Again, Naoe blinked.

"Anything you want? Water?"

Having decided that blinking again is quite useless, Naoe nodded instead.

Takaya took a glass of water from the bedside table, and helped Naoe to sit. The older man winced as his ribs protested the movement, and Takaya frowned, "Sorry… Watari-Sensei tried his best, but your body will need time to heal."

Takaya had to help Naoe with the glass. After a few gulps, Takaya took the glass away and forced Naoe to lie down again, "You're not supposed to be moving around yet. Not until Watari-Sensei says you can. The transfer didn't help, but it had to be done. There's no way I'm keeping you in a hospital where mad doctor works."

"What transfer?" Naoe asked, his voice raspy.

"The transfer to Tokyo," Takaya answered.

"Tokyo?"

"Yes."

Naoe frowned, "Where are we?"

Takaya looked at his aide intently, "Imonoyama Mansion. Your friend Subaru-san is a good friend of Imonoyama Nokoru, the Director of Clamp School. Because we can't guarantee your safety at Matsumoto, he decided to ask for Imonoyama-san's help. We transferred you immediately after you woke up before. Imonoyama-san set one of his guestrooms as a hospital room, this room."

"Eh…"

Naoe was confused. There were too many blanks in his memories, what Takaya said simply didn't make sense.

"Watari-sensei said that you have to take it easy. If it's not because of your natural healing ability and Kurama-san's healing power and herb knowledge, you'd be in bed for a month at least with all of those wounds."

"Wounds?"

Takaya frowned, "Naoe… don't tell me… What's the last thing you remember?"

"Eh…" Naoe thought, "driving…"

"After meeting Subaru-san?"

Naoe flinched, "Yes."

Takaya sighed. It's going to be one hell of a long explanation, and he's not sure where to begin or what to say.

He was saved as the door opened and their friends came in.

Haruie rushed to the bed and knelt beside it, "Naoe! Oh, Naoe… you scared me!"

"You scared all of us," Nagahide corrected, standing behind Takaya's chair. Subaru, Yuzuru and a girl whom he recognized as Takaya's sister, Miya, took their places around the bed.

"Damn right you did," Subaru huffed.

"But you're okay now, right?" Yuzuru asked anxiously.

Naoe nodded slightly, "I think so. I don't really remember what happened…"

Another person, a blond man with an owl on his shoulder, stepped around the bed and stood beside Takaya.

"Naoe-san, I am Watari Yutaka. I'm your doctor here, I know I've introduced myself before but you may not remember."

"Actually, I think he remembers nothing about the accident and after…" Takaya said confusedly.

Watari nodded, "Does your head hurt, beside the cut, I mean? Does it throb?"

Naoe nodded and winced, "If I move too fast…"

"And your sight? Is it clear, or rather blurry?"

"It's okay…"

"Good. We'll do full scanning later this afternoon. What about your breathing?"

"Better than yesterday…"

"It worked, then," Watari had to smile, "That was a long shot. Your lungs were severely clogged, and we had to… clean them, for lack of better word. But it's all right now. No smoking for you, though. Does your chest hurt?"

"No…"

"Does it usually hurt?"

"Yes."

"How? I mean, is it a spreading pain, or just a one spot pain?"

"One spot."

"Where?"

Naoe moved his hand over his left chest, "Here."

"Does it feel like a stab wound?"

"Yes."

"That's more psychological, then…" Subaru frowned.

"Mmm… mental pain transfers into physical pain, though. We need to do a full check up on you, Naoe-san, I hope you don't mind."

Naoe shook his head carefully, "I don't mind… but…"

"You're not jumping out into anyone's body in that condition," Watari smiled, "besides, this age-gap is far enough. How will Kagetora-san explain to anyone that his boyfriend is a baby?"

Naoe, for lack of better word, paled.

"Calm down, Naoe, you can trust these people," Nagahide calmed him, "After all, they're the reason you're still alive right now."

"Do you… remember what happened, Naoe?" asked Haruie carefully.

Naoe looked confused, "I've just met Subaru, I think… I was driving, then… I'm not sure… It's all so … vague…"

"You had an accident, Naoe-san," Watari smiled slightly, "You were brought to Matsumoto Hospital and was for awhile under the care of Muraki Kazutaka-Sensei until I replaced him. We moved you to Tokyo because Imonoyama Medical Facility is better than any other hospital in Japan, and we can't risk putting you in any other hospital for fear that Muraki will track you down, so we make do with what we have here, in Imonoyama Mansion."

Subaru picked up the thread, "Imonoyama Nokoru is a friend of mine, you can trust him. You're safer here than anywhere else. You, and the other Yashashuu, are considered under our protection here."

"Subaru… An accident?"

"Yeah," Subaru laughed dryly, "Your car was hit by a truck. You remember what happened after that?"

"Eh…"

"No? I guess so."

Something in Subaru's perfectly dry tone scared Naoe, "Subaru… I… What did I do?"

There was fire in Subaru's eyes as he leaned closer and said gently, albeit forcefully, "You locked yourself in your dreamscape, that's what you did. Gave me a hell of a fright, and that will of yours is so not helping. Your parents were frantic that they actually contact Sumeragi Kyoto House. Grandmother contacted me in a rush; I had to stop her coming by herself. Your father and I spent so many hours calling every Ougi-san to find your beloved Kagetora, your mother had to force your siblings not to come, and your plight attracted mad doctor that the shinigami are forced to step in."

"Actually, we didn't step in because of Muraki, Subaru-san… but it's close enough," Watari laughed, "Yeah, Meifu was frenzied because of you, Naoe-san."

Naoe could only stare confusedly at the people around him, "I don't understand…"

Takaya decided to step in, "It doesn't matter. You've woken up now, so it's okay. End of story."

"More likely the beginning of the story for me…" Miya chuckled.

"Can somebody please explain what happened? I really don't…"

Haruie laughed. She couldn't help it. Days of fear and desperate hope's finally over, and she could hope for brighter days ahead, "Baka Naoe…"

Nagahide chuckled, "Fine, if you want to know, we'll tell you, but it won't be pretty."

Takaya nodded, "I received a phone call from your father a week ago…"

Yoshiaki looked up from the files he had on his desk and saw his partner, Takaya, yawning and stretching behind his desk.

"I swear, I'm not made for desk job," the younger soul said tiredly, "I'm a man of action, not office paperweight!"

"Planning is a crucial step of action, Takaya, surely you've known it by now."

"Planning is your job, O Master Strategist! I'm made for battlefield!"

"No wonder you host Kagetora and not Nobutsuna."

"Wanna change?"

"It'll make their sexual life more interesting…" Shuhei laughed.

"Nah… I can't imagine my Kagetora using your body, Yoshiaki. It'll be too…"

"Too what?"

"Too disturbing," Ayako supplied, "Kagetora is a love magnet. With your body, he'll be too irresistible."

"Hey! He's not more good-looking than me!"

"Says you, Takaya. I like Yoshiaki more."

"That's because you like older people!"

"I think Nobutsuna's a love magnet, too," Shuhei chuckled.

"I think all of them are love magnets," Minako smiled, "it's only just that all of you are love magnets, too."

"Why are we talking about love magnets anyway? Yoshiaki, how's your brat?"

"Nobutsuna has woken up," Yoshiaki laughed, "and is currently listening confusedly about what happened during his… sleeping moment…"

"He remembers nothing?" asked Ayako.

"He'll remember eventually. This is still too early."

"He'd better remember! That conversation in the dreamscape is simply too cute for words!"

"Mmm… hopefully it'll help their relationship."

"We can only hope," Minako chuckled, "Both of them are more stubborn than mules!"

"Yeah… Men…"

"I'm not sure if I should be offended or not," Shuhei laughed.

Naoe closed his eyes, tiredness seeping to his mind and body.

"You'll be in bed for long enough, Naoe-san, so use as much as you can to sleep. We've blocked your dreamscape, so you won't be trapped in again."

Naoe opened his eyes, "You can do that?"

Watari laughed, "Yes, we can. So don't be afraid to sleep. I promise it'll be okay. Just lower your shields and relax."

Naoe closed his eyes, nodding slightly, yet he opened them again, looking at his Yashashuu friends questioningly.

"I've told you, you can trust us," Subaru scolded, "And we'll be here, I promise. Now you do what Watari-sensei tells you to do, okay? Not even Uesugi Kenshin can get in to this place, so we're all safe. You're safe. Safe AND WATCHED! So no foolish ideas!"

Naoe still looked wary.

Subaru sighed, "Yoshiaki… This place is designed to protect whoever needs to be protected, and no one can get in, unless they're known. Only friends can get in under these roofs. So don't worry… If you're worried about your friends, put aside your fears. No one will touch Kagetora-san, or Nagahide-san, or Haruie-san, or Yuzuru-san, or Miya-san. They'll be under the greatest protection ever, and so are you."

Naoe looked at his calm eyes, and trusted him implicitly, as he always did before, "This place… is this where…"

"This was the headquarter of The Dragon of Heaven, yes."

"Oh…" Naoe couldn't help it. He yawned.

Watari smiled fondly, "I think someone needs his sleep. Okay, everyone, out!"

"Ano… Sensei… can I stay?"

Watari laughed, "Actually, Takaya-san, you're grounded with him. If I see you far from him, I'm going to tie you to the bed."

Naoe smiled, already on the verge of sleep.

The Yashashuu looked at each other, frowning slightly.

"Sensei… Is it usual for a Yumemi to sleep this much?" Yuzuru whispered softly.

"He's tired, Yuzuru-san. Body and soul, that is. He'll need time to mend."

"Still... He's far too weak for my liking."

"He'll be okay," Subaru smiled, "He has something to hold on to now."

"Well, now what do we do?" asked Nagahide.

"You wait," Watari said wisely, "We need to keep monitoring Naoe-san, body and soul, that is, and he's not going anywhere outside this mansion for now, so it's a safe guess that none of you will be going anywhere. Besides, if you go out, there's a possibility you'll be captured by your enemies, and be used against Kagetora and Naoe."

"I certainly won't be bored," Haruie laughed, "This place is awesome!"

Miya nodded, her eyes shining. The kitchen was fabulous!

The afternoon was spent for tests. A long series of tests. Even CLAMP's modern technology still need a quite amount of time, and in the end, Naoe was too tired to do anything but sleep again.

Not that Watari would mind, really.

Naoe was already asleep when Watari entered the room again.

"How is he?" Haruie asked.

Takaya occupied his 'throne', a single place at the side of the bed, beside the pillow, his back leaned on the bed head, his fingers absently tangled in Naoe's hair.

Amusedly, Watari saw Naoe leaning into the touch. How many times before had he seen the same gesture? Tsuzuki and Hisoka… even only for the two of them, he'd lost count.

Looking at Miya, he realized that he's not the only one who noticed the response. The way her eyes shone with happiness and mild melancholy…

"Sensei?"

Shaking himself back to the present, Watari looked at the people around him.

"I need to see the whole documents to have full assessment, and I also need to discuss this to my other colleagues, but so far… His problem is more psychological, and his body is mending. His lungs are clogged, Muraki found it on the first hour, and there's a strange pattern in his heart beat, maybe something's wrong with either his heart. He's also concussed, but that's not surprising. And… he's eating habit is not exactly healthy, I mean, I know it'll sound weird, but he rarely eat something substantial, to the point of almost never. I have to know his daily diet later on. I won't be surprised if he's quite bulimic. Don't look at me like that, Takaya-san; he's more than depressed, I know what I'm saying. All in all, it seemed like that his system is slowly repairing itself, so it's fine. Subaru-san?"

Subaru sat straight and heaved, "Like I said before, he exerted his spiritual power far too much for far too long. And as weird as it is, for a Kanshosha, his soul is weak. Weaker than any of yours, I mean. But it should be okay, he's better than he was before. We still haven't found out anything new about the truck that hit Yoshiaki's car, but it's positive that we're dealing with possible poltergeist incident. You also have to know that the amount of violent souls around CLAMP had increased significantly. Although it doesn't really matter, since none can even get in and the area surrounding CLAMP is empty, it's still alarming. Many are weak soldier souls, all exorcised; some are quite stronger souls, lower generals and such, which naturally go to The Tree. What little I can gather from the poor unfortunate souls, is that their different masters think that Kagetora's aide is dying, so to speak, and they're going to speed the process. Unfortunately, we hadn't managed to ensnare any important soul in."

"I don't like this," Takaya whispered, looking at the people around his, "If my guess is true, they're going to be even rougher now, and we're one person short."

"What we can do right now is anchoring his soul," Watari continued, "We've blocked his dreamscape, yes, but, as Subaru-san said before, with his … unstable state right now… he can be trapped within, Subaru-san's words, not mine. I'm sorry to burden you, Takaya-san, but you're the one who holds Naoe-san's soul. Protect him, hold him close, please, don't break him."

"You don't have to tell me that!" and the fingers tangled even more fiercely in the light brown strands.

Watari nodded, "I know. But it's my duty to make sure that all of you get out of this alive. Yuzuru-san, Miya-san, I trust that you'll also help? Nagahide-san, Haruie-san, keep close to Kagetora-san and Naoe-san. Since Kagetora-san will be concentrated on protecting Naoe-san, then the both of you has to protect them, whatever happened, Naoe-san must not use any of his power while he's still recovering! Can I trust you with that?"

Haruie and Nagahide nodded solemnly.

Watari smiled, "Do what you can, people. No regret."

Takaya looked at the sailing moon on the sky, marveling its roundness and light, bright even among the stars around it. The light fell through the window to the darkened room, brightening it.

Brightening the bed, to be exact.

Naoe had woken up at dinner, and Watari had forced him to eat 'something substantial', rice and miso soup, to be exact. Naoe had tried to refuse, but Subaru was adamant, and Nagahide even more so. In the end, Haruie had grabbed the bowl and fed him, much to his embarrassment.

Watari was right. Not even an hour after that, he was puking his guts out.

Takaya wanted to cry. Of all the times Naoe took him to eat, he never even realized when the older man was sick after meal.

Watari had sighed, grabbed a glass of lemon tea, and forced Naoe to drink the whole glass. The man was shivering, either from the exertion or the cold, Takaya wasn't sure.

After his stomach stopped rebelling, Naoe had haltingly apologized, that Watari smiled, saying that he'd been expecting that anyway.

Takaya hadn't, and he knew Haruie and Nagahide hadn't either. Subaru, he's not sure.

Just how weak was Naoe?

In the end, Subaru left a jug of lemon tea and a box of cookies, Akira's specialty, he called them, and told Naoe to nibble them if he's hungry. Naoe had nodded, still shivering.

Watari chased all of his friends out, leaving Takaya and Naoe alone.

They talked a bit, much to Takaya's amazement and embarrassment Naoe had remembered what happened in the dreamscape. They kept on talking, for once not hiding anything, for once being honest with themselves, saying words Takaya and Naoe would never admit before.

"I love you," Naoe had said before. Takaya didn't answered at that time, and when Naoe left, he didn't chase him.

Fearing the same thing happen again, he said it this time. And Naoe didn't leave. He simply smiled and answered his prayers.

Takaya couldn't be any happier than that.

At the end of the conversation, Naoe fell asleep, so he went to turn off the lights. That left him there, sitting beside Naoe's bed, watching the older man's head almost hidden by the blanket as he curled up for warmth.

Naoe whimpered slightly, and Takaya looked at him worriedly.

Subaru had told him to never let Naoe had any nightmares, as nightmares has the tendency to destroy a soul, and Naoe's weakened enough even without nightmares, so he shook his aide's shoulder lightly, calling him.

Naoe's eyes blinked opened, his breath a little bit labored, and he flinched as he saw Takaya over him.

Takaya frowned.

"Bad dreams?" the younger man asked.

Naoe nodded, his breath calming down.

"Wanna talk about it?"

Naoe shook his head.

"You should, you know… I talk about my bad dreams to Miya, and it's always better after that, knowing that it's only a dream."

"No…"

"What?"

"Not a dream…"

Takaya looked at his aide closely, "What was it about?"

Naoe was silent, his eyes closed.

Takaya decided not to push. He sat on the bed instead, his fingers brushing Naoe's hair lightly.

Naoe's voice dragged him out of his thoughts instantly, "It's about her…"

Takaya frowned, "Her… Mina?"

Naoe nodded, "I raped her, you know… I was drunk… and very jealous…"

Takaya felt something curled tight in him, "You dreamt about what exactly?"

"Dream, not dreamt. I dream about it all the time…"

"What? The rape?"

"No… it's…"

"Naoe…"

Naoe turned over suddenly. Takaya wondered whether he should let it go or push it.

The choice was made for him.

"I was in the battlefield… bodies all around me… I tried to look for you, but you were nowhere around… and then I saw you…"

Takaya sat up silently, inching closer to Naoe.

"I called you, I ran to you, and then you'd turn around to me… and…"

"And?"

"And you'd look at me coldly… and said…"

Takaya waited.

"You said you'd never forgive me… and then Mina appeared beside you… she'd just stand there, looking at me… just looking at me… both of you…"

Enough was enough. Takaya grabbed Naoe, turned him around and forcing him to look at him.

Naoe's eyes were bleak that Takaya flinched.

God…

This was the man who actually trapped himself in his own dreamscape.

How hurt Naoe is anyway? Takaya only remembers bits and pieces of what happened, and it's true that he sometimes feel this deep resentment toward Naoe, but as far a he remembered, Naoe almost always stay by his side…

He has Kagetora's memory. Not all, but it's enough to know what Kagetora had done, what Naoe had done, what had happened in the past 400 years…

Takaya is Takaya, Yuzuru had said once.

Naoe could've drowned with him in Tsutsuga mirror, as he'd said, they'd be together in the perfect prison. But he didn't. He pulled him out instead; perfectly aware of the pain he'd have to face all over again. Because he couldn't deprive Takaya's life.

All along, it was Kagetora, and now it's Takaya. When was the last time Naoe thought about himself?

Instinctively, Takaya knows that if he ever trusts anyone, it'll be Naoe, although he'd also trust the other Kanshosha. Okay, he'd kept some to himself… but…

When was the last time Naoe had trusted anyone?

Had Naoe ever trust anyone at all?

"I'm sorry…" Naoe's soft voice brought him out of his reverie.

"Whatever for?" asked Takaya.

"Everything. Mina… for betraying you… for hurting you… everything…"

Takaya sighed, "Forget it, Naoe. I'll give you my forgiveness if it'll calm you, but it won't work if you won't forgive yourself."

"I don't deserve…"

"Shut up."

Naoe was silent for a while, and then he gulped, "You only have half memory, Kagetora-sama, if you have it full, you wouldn't…"

"Kagetora's just plain, stupid Bakatora," Takaya cursed, "He'd had you by his side for 400 years and he wasted time hurting you, and himself in the process."

"But… Kagetora-sama is _you_…"

"Hell, yeah, but Takaya won't do the same things Kagetora did. Takaya has a sister, Takaya has friends outside his Kanshosha circle, and Takaya's currently in love with Naoe. Takaya is not Bakatora. Takaya's not letting Naoe off his side anymore, and Takaya's so not hurting Naoe. Get it?"

Naoe laughed, "You're talking about us in third person."

"Just want to make sure you get that Takaya and Bakatora are two different people, although they reside in the same body. Now, sleep! Watari-sensei will kill me if he knows that you're still awake."

"I think he knows."

"All the more reason for you to sleep. But if I see you trapped in nightmares again, I'll wake you up."

"Protective bastard."

"Not more so than you, love."

Naoe looked at Takaya questioningly, "So we're really a couple now?"

"If you want. I know I want to."

Naoe smiled, "I think you'd make a good marriage counselor"

Takaya snorted, "Sleep!"

Takaya looked at Yoshiaki as the older soul suddenly laughed out loud.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing… it's just that… our kanshosha are too cute for words…"

"Heh, you've been spying on him all the time, Yoshiaki. Are you sure it's okay?"

"It's okay. Besides, it's way more efficient than putting a video camera in their room."

"I wish I can do that…" Ayako whined, "I really want to know what my kanshosha's doing now."

"Actually, how do you do it, Yoshiaki? I mean, spying on him like that?" asked Shuhei, "I know I can't do that."

"I have no idea…" Yoshiaki shook his head, "maybe because we're both Yumemi?"

"Well, as long as it keeps him safe…"

"I'm not sure about safe. Anything new?" asked Mina.

"Nope. Still zero."

"If this continue and we can't get anything new… we might have to get them here, you know…" Takaya complained.

Mina sighed, "I don't know… I'm not really sure about really meeting them…"

_TBC…_

**Some author's note:**

_A filler chapter, I must say… No action at all, I'm disappointed myself, and I am not good with romantic scenes…I doubt this is better than the last one. SORRY!!!_

_Lyn-san, Sarah-san, Lyre-san, thanks for your kind comments! Suzy-san, is there any way I can reach you? E-mail, maybe?_

_For everyone else, thanks for reading!_

_THR_


	6. Chapter 5

_Here's Lamentation: Chapter 5!_

_This is a crossover fic. You'll find people from other animes walking around, some merely passerby and some hold the key to the fic. But all in all, this is an MoB fic. The inserted characters happened because I don't know many people in MoB world..._

_sigh..._

_I've only watched the thirteen episodes of MoB, so I'm going to ignore everything that happened after (or before) that... I'll try not to ruin anything, though... _

_This happened a few weeks (or months) after the 'pier incident'... and after '99._

_R/R are greatly appreciated!_

Lamentation 

**Chapter 5**

**Overture**

Tachibana Teruhiro sighed as he put down his suitcase down and loosened his tie.

His youngest brother worries him.

It's not the first time. Actually, Yoshiaki always worries him ever since he was born. Among all of his siblings, he's considerably more protective when it comes to his youngest brother

Having seen your seven years old brother tried to take his life in front of you can shake anyone to the root. It sure shook him up.

And this time, his beloved brother's once again worries him.

He should've seen it. He should've seen the sign. After all, it's not like Yoshiaki blew up his car on a regular basis. Okay, there was that one time when he came home after blowing up his Cefiro… but that's not the point.

The point is, he should've seen the sign.

The sign that his brother was once again slipping into depression.

Okay, that's wrong. Yoshiaki had always been depressed.

Still, he should've seen the signs…

He should've been there for him…

"Oniichan! Oniichan, wake up!"

Takaya opened his eyes and saw his sister beside him.

"Miya?" he yawned.

"How is he?" Miya looked at the sleeping man on the bed worriedly

"He had a nightmare, so I had to wake him up and made him talk about it a little bit, but then he slept peacefully."

Takaya straightened up and stretched out.

"I'm taking a bath," Takaya stood up and turned to the bathroom, "Chiaki, neesan, watch over him for me for awhile, okay?"

"Sure, Kagetora, take your time," Haruie smiled.

Takaya closed the bathroom door.

Miya smiled as she sat on her brother's chair, looking at the sleeping occupant.

Nagahide couldn't thank the Gods above enough that Kagetora's current sister accepted her brother's relationship easily.

When Takaya emerged from the bathroom, he saw Miya giggling at something Nagahide said. Naoe was already awake and was sitting with pillows on his back, smiling amusedly. Haruie was chuckling, and Yuzuru was laughing.

Takaya stood back to observe the scene in front of him.

His family and friends were there. He won't trade it with anything else in the world.

Watari came to the room at that moment, smiling, and shooing everyone but Takaya out. After they've scrambled, Naoe looked at him with a smile on his face.

Takaya found himself grinning back.

"Naoe-san, are you strong enough to take a bath on your own?" Watari asked.

Naoe nodded, already moving to get out of the bed.

"Do so, then, but don't lock the door."

While Naoe was in the bathroom, Takaya had picked up a piece of paper and a pencil, and started drawing a sketch out of memory. He put it aside when Naoe came out looking slightly pale, and he spent some time helping his aide to get properly dressed in pants and t-shirt and dried his hair, before finally dragging him to the newly made bed.

Then Subaru came, bringing breakfast, soup and bread, this time. Somehow, Naoe managed to keep them all in. Takaya ate with him.

There were some tests, all performed in the room, and a little spiritual test from Subaru, Naoe was asked to hold a crystal ball, which swirling color's changed almost immediately.

They had asked what it meant, but Watari only shrugged, saying that he had no idea.

After all that, Watari left, and their friends swarmed the room again.

"Ne, Naoe-niisan, you have to heal fast, and then you can move in with us, "Miya said excitedly, "We still have two unused rooms, you know…"

"Naoe-niisan?" asked Takaya, "why are you calling him that?"

"Well, he's your beloved, right? Then he's my aniki, too."

Naoe looked shocked, his eyes caught Takaya's. Takaya recognized that look, apologetic-panic-confused-fear…

Takaya nodded, "Yeah, I guess so… Miya's right, you know, you should move in with us, Naoe. Although… I'm not sure how your mother will take it…"

Naoe shook his head, "Just introduce yourself as Kagetora, and she'll approve. Although she might chase you around the lawn first. Not to mention my three older brothers and sister. You can ask for my father's help, if he'll help you, that is."

"You have older siblings! That's good! It means I'll get many brothers! And a sister, too. Cool!"

"What exactly did you tell your family about me?" asked Takaya, clearly looking hurt.

"Pretty much everything," Naoe shrugged, "And that's not only about you. They know about the whole Kanshosha business. Although I didn't tell them that I've met all of you again."

"Well, that's unusual," Nagahide commented, "We usually kept to ourselves."

"I've hadn't much of a choice, and they were different, in a way, they kept me even after I babbled about possessing their son. Not really, though."

"Eh?"

"Tachibana Yoshiaki was born dead. A minute after that, I grabbed his body."

"Ooo…" Haruie nodded, "So you were considered a miracle, ne?"

"Something like that, yeah."

"How did you tell them? I mean… that's very unusual…" Takaya looked worried.

"Ee…"

Miya's eyes were drawn at something. She frowned, and silently gestured toward her new brother's wrist, "Does it have something to do with that?"

Takaya's eyes followed her sister's eyes and fell onto the scars that he'd noticed when he helped Naoe changed his clothes.

Haruie looked at Nagahide.

Naoe lowered his head, his hand instinctively closed around his wrist.

"I was kinda depressed…"

Miya threw herself to Naoe, hugging so suddenly, that the older man slightly listed to the side, and ended up leaning on Takaya, "Well, no more of that, okay? You found niichan now, so you are not doing anything stupid anymore, right?"

Naoe looked at the girl, surprised, "Miya-san…"

"Miya-chan! I'm your imouto, you shouldn't call me Miya–san…"

Naoe was speechless.

Miya straightened up and looked directly to Naoe's eyes, "Promise me you won't do anything stupid anymore. Promise me that you won't throw your life away. Promise me!"

"Miya-chan…"

"Promise me!"

Naoe's eyes softened, "Aa… hai. I promise."

Miya nodded, "Good. And you, niichan… you have to be stronger."

"Eh?"

"If not, Naoe-niisan will ended up guarding your ass all the time, maybe he'd even lose his life protecting you. I won't let that happen. You have to be stronger, niichan, I know you're the younger one here, but you're the leader, right? You have to be stronger, so your people won't have to watch over you all the time. How can you protect your loved ones if you can't even protect yourself?"

The wisdom of a sage from the mouth of a babe, Nagahide thought, but she was right.

Takaya nodded, "I know, Miya, I know. I will be stronger, and I will be the one who does the protecting for a change, I promise. You don't have to worry."

Miya smiled, "Good, because I don't want to lose any of you."

Haruie was definitely amazed. This girl had done something not even Irobe could do.

Make Kagetora takes command because he wants to, not because he has to.

She's definitely a miracle worker.

Watari straightened as he entered Imonoyama Nokoru's office. Nokoru was there, as well as Subaru. Mr. and Mrs. Tachibana sat on the sofa, and Naoe's eldest brother, Teruhiro, sat on an armchair.

Mr. Tachibana looked calm yet apprehensive, while his wife looked nervous yet hopeful. Teruhiro was composedly quiet.

"That's why we keep him here, Tachibana-san. This facility is far more complete than Matsumoto Hospital," Nokoru was saying.

Subaru gestured Watari to come near, "Tachibana-san, this is Watari Yutaka, he's the doctor responsible for Yoshiaki now."

Watari bowed politely, "Watari Yutaka desu."

Mr. Tachibana looked tired, "I'm sorry for the inconvenience, Watari-sensei."

"No, not at all."

"He's weakening, isn't he? Nobutsuna?" asked Mrs. Tachibana anxiously, "But, he can always jump out to another body when Yoshiaki's body die, right?"

No one's supposed to take his or her son's dying so lightly, Watari thought, but then again…

"No, Tachibana-san… Yoshiaki-san is mending quite well, I assure you. Although more mental support will be most appreciated."

The three Tachibana looked at each other.

"Medically, and spiritually, we have the best team. We're not miracle workers, though. Anything you can tell us, anything at all, will be greatly appreciated."

"Maybe you need to read this, then."

Mrs. Tachibana pulled out a leather book from her bag.

"This is our Yoshiaki Record. We keep record for each and every child we have. You will find there everything about Yoshiaki, from the day he was born to date, as far as we know, and I mean everything, even all the whatnot about Nobutsuna, Kagetora, and Kanshosha that we know."

"I believe it will do good if you ask about our son to your grandmother, Sumeragi-san. After all, when Yoshiaki tried to commit suicide and went into catatonic when he was seven, it was her who brought him back," Mr. Tachibana added.

Mrs. Tachibana looked at the people in front of her anxiously "Yoshiaki… Can we see him?"

Subaru looked at Watari, who nodded.

"Of course, Tachibana-san. Would you like to meet your son alone, or with his friends?"

There's a gleam in all three Tachibanas eyes, that Watari felt sorry for Takaya.

"We would like to meet them all, yes," Tachibana Teruhiro answered lightly.

Subaru had to hold back laughter.

"And then he fell. Irobe was laughing so hard, that he forgot about Haruie, and she pushed him to the river to join Bakatora!"

Subaru shook his head as he entered the room.

Naoe was laughing so hard, and the others were in a various state of laughter.

Obviously, Nagahide was telling something funny from their past lives.

"Oh, hi, Subaru-san!" Haruie waved him in.

Subaru smiled, "I thought Watari-sensei had told you, no exertion!"

"That's sexual exertion, not this," Nagahide smirked, and one of Naoe's many pillows landed on his head.

"Chiaki!!!!" Takaya was definitely embarrassed.

Subaru sighed. Watari had warned Takaya not to do anything sexual while they're in CLAMP, for three reasons only, one, Watari would know, as he always monitor Naoe's heart rate and brain wave, two, Naoe is still recovering, so no exertion, please, and three, they must keep the door unlock, so it will be awkward if anyone ever enter the room and found them naked. Takaya had blushed to the root, Nagahide and Haruie choked, Naoe looked morbidly amused, Yuzuru laughed until he almost couldn't breath, and Miya had an enigmatic smile on her face..

"I guess I have to soundproof the master bedroom…" Miya mused.

This time, Subaru laughed, something heavy was lifted from his heart. Seeing these people, he knew that there's hope.

"Sorry, people… I hate to break the fun, but Yoshiaki has visitors."

"Eh?" asked Naoe.

Subaru turned toward the door, which Watari opened wider, revealing the three older Tachibana.

Naoe paled.

For a second, the fours pairs of brown eyes met. And then, Mrs. Tachibana strode over so fast that Subaru flinched away.

" YOSHINOBU BAKA!!!"

The others instinctively moved away from the bed.

"I'VE TOLD YOU BEFORE AND NOW I'M TELLING YOU AGAIN, YOUNG MAN! I DON'T MIND IF YOU HAVE TO GO ALL OVER THE WORLD TO EXORCISE EVIL SPIRITS, I DON'T EVEN COMPLAIN IF YOU FORGET TO CALL, AS LONG AS YOU KNOW WHEN TO EAT AND WHEN TO HAVE YOUR MEDICINE AND WHEN TO REST! HONESTLY! HOW DO YOU EXPECT TO PROTECT THAT BRAT BAKATORA IF YOU'RE BEDRIDDEN LIKE THIS!!!!"

Takaya twitched.

"AND NOW YOU'RE STRANDED HERE, IN A MAKE-SHIFT HOSPITAL ROOM, WHILE YOU COULD'VE BEEN OUT THERE CHASING DIRTY SOULS!!! WHY? BECAUSE YOU'RE MOPING YET AGAIN!!! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU TO FUCK UP WITH THE PAST ANYWAY?!!???"

Subaru flinched.

"AND WHAT'S WITH THIS EATING DISORDER!!! THE LAST I CHECK, YOU'RE NOT A GIRL!!!! AND YOU HAVE A GREAT FIGURE!!! YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT GETTING A DIET!!!! CAN YOU GUESS HOW MANY MEN THERE ARE IN THE WORLD WHO'D KILL TO HAVE A FIGURE AND FACE LIKE YOURS!!!?"

Haruie rolled her eyes.

"AND THEY SAY YOU'VE EXHAUSTED YOUR SPIRITUAL POWER! DIDN'T I TELL YOU TO ALWAYS CARRY SHURIKEN AROUND!!??! YOU KNOW THAT IT'S EASIER TO EXORCISE A WEAK BODY THAN A HEALTHY ONE! HELL, I SHOULD'VE MADE YOU CARRY GUNS!!!"

Nagahide smirked.

"AND WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU REALLY EAT ANYTHING??!! YOU MUST'VE BEEN TREATING OTHERS BUT NOT EATING YOURSELF, OR STUFFING YOURSELF WITH COLAS AND BABY BISCUITS!!! HOW DO YOU EXPECT TO BE STRONG, EATING LIKE THAT??!! NO WONDER YOUR INTESTINES REBEL AGAINST YOU!"

Miya looked shocked.

"AND I BET YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TAKING YOUR MEDICINE!?! WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU'VE TAKEN THOSE PILLS??!! I BET THE ONLY ONES YOU TAKE ARE THE SLEEPING PILLS, YOU STUPID KANSHOSHA! YOU'RE NOT IMMORTAL!!! YOU CAN MOVE BODIES, YES, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE HEALTHY!!!"

Yuzuru coughed.

"AND WHAT ABOUT THE WHOLE TRYING TO EXORCISE YOURSELF THING!!?! DIDN'T YOU KNOW THAT IT WAS THE HEAD OF SUMERAGI WHO TOOK YOU OUT OF CATATONIA THOSE MANY YEARS AGO???!! AND NOW YOU ASK FOR A SUMERAGI, THE CURRENT HEAD, TOO, TO EXORCISE YOU???!!! NOT TO MENTION THAT HE'S YOUR FRIEND!!!"

Watari looked morbidly fascinated.

"AND STOP TRYING TO HIDE UNDER THOSE BLANKETS!!! YOU ARE SO NOT GOING ANYWHERE, YOUNG MAN! YOU'RE MAYBE OLDER THAN ME, BUT I'M STILL YOUR MOTHER, AND YOU WILL DO WHAT I SAY!!!! NOW, WOULD YOU PLEASE INTRODUCE THAT BAKATORA OF YOURS?!?"

Seeing the petite woman looming over her definitely cowering son, Subaru couldn't help it. He laughed, "I'm sorry… it's just that… you reminded me of my sister…"

Watari visibly cringed, "Oh, yeah… Hokuto-chan can be downright scary when she wants to."

Takaya had moved to hide behind his sister, while Nagahide took refuge behind Haruie. Yuzuru was too shocked to move.

Mr. Tachibana and Teruhiro laughed, both moved rapidly toward the bed, where they simply plopped beside the bed, and Teruhiro clapped his brother's shoulder lightly, "Listen to Kaasan for once, Yoshiaki! It's not that hard, anyway…"

"You're not the one she was yelling to, Niisan…" Naoe was definitely sulking.

"No, but we had to endure her prattle all the way from home, so I think we're even. And your mother yelled enough for the both of us, so I'm not even going to try," here Mr. Tachibana hug his son warmly, "Glad to see you still alive, son."

Naoe hugged back hesitantly. As soon as his father let him go, though, he was engulfed by his mother's arms.

"Honestly, Yoshinobu… You can't keep everything by yourself… you're not superman, you know… you're only one man… you can't do everything alone…"

Naoe hugged back.

The three older Tachibana, apparently familiar with their youngest moods, simply stayed close.

"Better?" asked Mr. Tachibana, as his son moved a little in his mother's arms.

Naoe nodded slightly, so his mother let him go, but not before finger-combing her son's hair.

Naoe looked mightily embarrassed.

Teruhiro smiled knowingly at his brother, "You didn't tell us that you have found your friends," he said lightly.

"I didn't want to worry you…"

"You're our son. Of course we worry," Mrs. Tachibana chuckled.

"I'm sorry…"

"Always forgiven, son. Now aren't you going to introduce us to someone?"

Takaya flinched, but something in his heart flared up. These were Naoe's parents. Although Naoe's currently older, but in the estimation of survival kanshosha age, Kagetora was the older one. After all, he died before Naoe did.

One day he's going to court someone, his father Kenshin had once said, the memory resurfaced easily in is mind, and when he does, he must do it properly, even if the family of his loved one looks down at him, and their relationship is attacked from all side.

So he stood straight, letting the Kagetora side in him merged into the Takaya persona, and felt calmness washed over him. But underlying it, there's a giddy feeling, mixed with fear and apprehension and hope.

Damn. If he didn't know better, he'd think he was courting Naoe.

Then again, he was.

"I am Kagetora."

Naoe's eyes looked at him in astonishment, as well as Nagahide's and Haruie's. Yuzuru and Miya looked amazed at the transformation.

Takaya bowed low, "Uesugi Kagetora, also known as Hojou Ujihide Saburou. I now hold the name Ougi Takaya."

Haruie and Nagahide moved so they flanked their Lord respectively.

"This is Kakizaki Haruie, currently Kadowaki Ayako, and Yasuda Nagahide, currently Chiaki Shuhei."

Both bowed.

Miya instinctively moved closer to her brother, the others following her.

"This is my sister, Miya; and my best friend, Narita Yuzuru,"

All of them bowed.

Mr. Tachibana smiled, there's something akin to pride in his eyes as he beheld the young man in front of him. He stood up, and bowed respectfully, "I am Yoshiaki's father. This is my wife. And that is my eldest son, Teruhiro."

Teruhiro looked at his brother's surprised expression, then at the young man before him, and smirked.

Mrs. Tachibana eyes narrowed, "Your voice. You were the one who called asking for Yoshinobu before."

'_Yoshinobu?' _Takaya wondered, but he refrained from asking, "Yes, Ma'am. I did call once."

Her eyes warmed, "You're a polite young man, although a little bit too shy for my liking. But I guess it comes with still being young."

Takaya had the grace to blush lightly.

"I'd like to welcome you to our house later on, Ougi-san. Yoshiaki's brothers and sister will definitely love meeting you, and your sister and friends as well. Can I assume that all of you are family of some sort, you, your friends, and my son?"

Takaya looked at his friends and smiled, "Yes, we are."

"Ah, then I must welcome you to my family, too," Mr. Tachibana smiled, "After Yoshiaki's considered well, shall we have tea in our house?"

"That will be delightful, Tachibana-sama. I'm sorry that none of my parents will be able to attend, though."

"It's perfectly fine, Ougi-san, after all, not all family is made by blood. Shall we say… somewhere around early next month, then?"

"That'll be perfectly well, Tachibana-sama. We'll be sure to bring gifts."

"Any gifts from Ougi-san will be received favourably."

"Takaya, please. Ougi is far too formal."

"Very well, Takaya-san. Next month, then?"

"Next month."

Subaru was tempted to cast a silencing spell in case any of them accidentally bursted out laughing.

Watari later on swore that Naoe's face was redder than Hisoka's could ever be. HE exaggerated, of course.

"Watari-sensei, will next month be alright?"

"We'll see, Tachibana-san," Watari nodded, "If anything, we can always change the date, yes?"

"Yes, that we can. Later, perhaps?"

"We will see, Tachibana-san," Subaru said soothingly.

"Aa… Sumeragi-san, you are also invited, of course. And your grandmother, too."

Subaru nodded, "I will surely deliver the invitation. My Grandmother would be delighted."

"And Imonoyama-san, would you grace us with your company there?"

"I will be sure to come, Tachibana-san," Nokoru, who stayed well near the door, bowed politely.

"Watari-sensei, we'd be honoured if you'd come…"

"I will try," Watari smiled, although deep inside he's laughing.

Takaya carefully let out the breath he'd been holding for some times.

"Well, then, we have to go back home, I'm afraid, we can't let our other children destroy the temple due to extreme worry," Mrs. Tachibana said, lightly kissing Naoe's forehead, "You will be alright, won't you, Yoshinobu?"

Naoe nodded, still red-faced.

"We'll be going then," Mrs. Tachibana put a comforting hand on his son's shoulder, "We've brought another suitcase of your clothing, and some of your writing pads, so you won't get bored."

"Arigato," Naoe said softly.

"Call me if you need anything, Yoshiaki. I'll be around," Teruhiro patted his brother's shoulder, and leaned over to whisper something to him, eliciting an undignified, "Niisan!!!" from Naoe.

Teruhiro shook his head and laughed, "Honestly, Yoshiaki… How old are you?"

"How old are _you_?!" Naoe retorted heatedly.

"Now, boys…" Mrs. Tachibana hugged her youngest son once more, and stood beside her husband, who smiled, "We will be seeing you again, Takaya-san. Please take care of our Yoshiaki."

"He will be in the best of care."

"I'm sure he will," Mrs. Tachibana smiled.

The three Tachibana bowed, mirrored by The Kanshosha and their friends.

Nokoru, ever the great host, led the way out.

Watari closed the door.

There was silence.

Broken by a flying pillow that hit Takaya square on the face.

"What?!" Takaya grabbed the falling pillow, sighed and strode over to the bed, "Alright, now what when and where did I do wrong?"

Subaru was valiantly trying not to laugh.

Watari shook his head and bowed slightly, "I'll be going, then. Takaya-san, Naoe-san… Congratulations."

And then he walked out and closed the door firmly.

Yuzuru blinked, "What was that all about?"

Nagahide was perfectly astonished, and Haruie had her hands covering her mouth.

"Bakatora… do you have any idea what you just did?" asked Nagahide carefully.

"Something I should've done before," Takaya grumbled.

"You… You…" Haruie lost her words.

Nagahide chuckled, "Were Irobe here, he'd be jumping all over the room with joy."

"Excuse me, but… what exactly happened?" asked Miya.

"What do you think?"

"Umm… An invitation to tea?"

"No…" Yuzuru's face was red, "That wasn't an invitation to tea, wasn't it?"

"Figures you would know," Nagahide shook his head, "No, that wasn't an invitation to tea. That wasn't _only_ an invitation to tea."

"What was it, then?" asked Miya.

Haruie lowered her hand, a grin on her lips, "That was a house invitation."

"A what?"

"It's not something still practiced… but… it's like… proposal of marriage, really."

Silence.

Nagahide hid a smile, "In the old times, the family who propose will come to the other family. They'll be received in the hall of the house, but not in the house. If the proposed family, be they male or female, accepted the proposal, they will invite the chosen family to tea."

"But since we're neither in Naoe-san's or Ougi-kun's house, so Tachibana-san invites Ougi-kun to his house instead?" Yuzuru asked, "But why he's the one who does the inviting? Why not the other way around?"

"Because Bakatora introduced himself and his family to Naoe's parents first. So, he's the suitor."

Silence.

"My brother had just proposed in front of me, and I missed it all?" Miya asked slowly.

"But… why did Takaya became the suitor? I mean, was there a talk before?" asked Yuzuru, his face flushed, "I don't understand!"

"Three reasons, actually," Takaya answered from his perch beside Naoe, "One, he's the one who still really have parents, mine's completely dysfunctional, so I have to marry in, in a way. Two, although he's older now, in survival Kanshosha age, I'm older, as I died earlier, so it's only right if I'm the one who propose. Three, this master-aide relationship. An aide can't court his master, but a master can court his aide. So I'm the one who does the courting."

"That was…" Haruie was definitely astonished.

"That was Takaya overpowering Bakatora," Takaya shook his head, "Enough is enough. 400 years! Sheeeesh… Nobutsuna… _Yoshiaki_… say something…"

Naoe simply looked at Takaya unbelievingly.

Nagahide rolled his eyes and dragged the others out, signalling to Takaya to take care of whatever needs to be taken care of.

Soon, there were only the two of them in the room.

Takaya looked at Naoe fondly, "Oy, Naoe… Come on… Did I do anything wrong?"

Naoe shook his head, "I'm not a girl…"

Takaya was baffled, "I never said you're one… Do you not want to be courted?"

"You could've asked me first," the older man sighed.

"It came out of the blue. I don't know when else would I meet your parents again, and you're there, and… the whole family were just there… So I just did."

"What if I say no?"

Takaya laughed, lying down beside Naoe, "Oh, they wouldn't invite me to tea if they think you'd say no. Honestly, I think your parents understand your… _our_… feelings more than we do."

"…"

"They're good parents, Naoe… You're lucky."

"I guess I am…" Naoe decided to lie down beside Takaya.

"Oh, you're just too cute…" Takaya looked at him adoringly.

"Stop it. It should've been the other way around. You ruin my dignity."

"One stupid question. Would you ever court me? I mean, you left me on a pier after making a confession, Naoe…"

Naoe sighed, "Yeah… I guess I'm just a stupid coward…"

Takaya leaned over him and pecked Naoe's nose playfully, "Oh, but you're _my_ stupid coward."

Naoe smiled, "Bakatora."

"Well, I'm _your_ Bakatora…"

Soft kissing ensued. Devotion, and love…

Somehow, Takaya again ended up absently combing Naoe's hair with his fingers.

"What is it with you that whenever I'm with you like this, I'm changed into a submissive puppy?" Naoe complained good-naturedly.

"Maybe because you want to be the submissive puppy, but Bakatora was too much of a spineless bastard that you had to be the strong one instead."

"That's my job. I'm your rear-guard."

"Yeah, and I'm your future husband. I say we protect each other instead. Miya's right. I have to be stronger. I've spent too much time being taken care of. Now it's time for me to do the taking care. Not only you, but also the others."

"Irobe-san will be proud of you."

"Are you proud of me?"

"Of course."

"Then it's enough. The whole world may condemn me, but as long as you devotedly stay by my side, loving me all the way, then it's okay."

"…"

"What?"

"That's sappy."

"I've wasted 400 years of chance to be with you. I'm allowed to be sappy."

"Ne, Takaya-san…"

"Nani?"

"You do realize that we can't really get married, right?"

Takaya shrugged, "Does it matter? We'll change bodies again and again. When we need to get out of these bodies, I'll just court you all over again. Although, if you really want to get a marital certificate, you'd have to find a suitable female host first, preferably the younger one…"

"Why don't you be the woman?"

"Heh… But it doesn't matter, really. As long as it's you, Nobutsuna, whatever form you take, I'll always be drawn to you, even if I don't remember you at all."

"Same here, I guess."

"Mmm… I'm just thinking… the name your mother used… not Yoshiaki…"

"Yoshinobu?"

"Yeah."

"That's a nickname, really, Yoshiaki and Nobutsuna combined. She made it. She said that differing Yoshiaki and Nobutsuna is not good, so for her, I am Yoshinobu."

"Mmmm… that's good. I guess that'll make me… what? Takatora? Takahide?"

"Definitely better than Bakatora."

"Well… I like Takahide …"

"Takaya-Ujihide… Takahide … I like the sound of it. But I thought you hate that name."

"No. Why should I? I wouldn't become an Uesugi if I wasn't a Houjo before. After all, it was my birth name. Ujihide, Saburou, Kagetora, Takaya… Different names, same person. But Takahide's too long for a nickname."

"Why ever do you need a nickname, Takaya-san?"

"Why do you keep on going 'Takaya-san'… anyway?"

"Well, what do you want to be called, then?"

"Takaya. But Yuzuru calls me that. I want something special…. Sheeesh… you're right. I'm sappy."

"I like the name Takaya."

"Mmm… That's nice. Say it again?"

"My, you are sappy. Why don't you give me my nickname, then?"

"Bakanobu?"

"Takaya…"

"Kidding… mmm…. Nobutsuna… Tsuna, I guess"

"It sounded too much like Tsuta!"

"No, it's not, and Nobu's just too weird."

"Can't we just stick to Naoe?"

"Nope. I get a nickname, and so must you."

"You asked for a nickname!"

"So did you, Tsuna…"

"…"

"Heh. I win."

"I give up."

"Well, you should…"

"Takaya?"

"What?"

Naoe looked at Takaya lovingly, "I have no idea how this happen, but I'm glad."

"Me, too. You'll have to help me go shopping, though. I need to bring you and your family many gifts."

"Mmm. The greatest gift is you."

"… Tsuna… that's sappy."

"I've spent 400 years waiting to be courted by my liege-lord. I'm allowed to be sappy."

A knock on the door signalled the return of their friends. Naoe was about to move away from Takaya, but the arms held him close for a second before letting him go, and he was kissed softly for a second.

Takaya smiled at him, and Naoe found himself smiling back.

Takaya straightened up and helped Naoe to lean on the bed-head, while he himself took his customary position.

"Come in!" he called.

Their friends, family, swarmed in, with Miya on the lead, running and hugging and congratulating her two brothers happily.

Yuzuru congratulate them merrily, while Haruie simply hugged the two, tears in her eyes, giving her blessing softly. Subaru looked at Naoe, his smile tainted with melancholy reside as he wished the two men all the happiness he never had the chance to get.

Nagahide stood beside the bed, smiling widely, "I say… it's about damn time."

Watari appeared in the office and promptly fell on the floor, laughing his ass off.

Tatsumi looked at the mad scientist of Shokan-ka and hauled him up, "What?"

"…" Watari looked at Yoshiaki, who looked back with this amused face, and laughed again, waving his hands, asking his friends to give him a time to laugh some more, tears in his eyes.

"My, I know it's surprising, but I never thought that it's really funny," Yoshiaki spoke knowingly.

Takaya looked bored, "Honestly, Watari-san… What happened?"

Shuhei and Ayako looked at each other, and shrugged, returning to their job.

Watari wiped a stray tear away, still chuckling giddily.

"Maybe you can explain now, sensei?" asked Mina, fully intrigued by his unending gales of laughter.

Watari smiled and made a V-sign, "Kagetora-san had just finally proposed Naoe-san."

"Yatta!!!" Takaya jumped up; hitting the air high, "Pay up, Shuhei! I told you he'd be the one who propose!"

"Oh, really? How did that brat find the courage?" asked Shuhei amusedly.

"The Takaya part overpowered the Kagetora part, I guess," Yoshiaki laughed.

"That's good. I mean, 400 years… Honestly…" Ayako laughed.

"Yeah. But I thought Naoe'd be the one who propose?" ask Tatsumi.

"After leaving him on a pier after confessing, I've a high doubt that my brat would do anything to propose, really," Yoshiaki smiled.

"He used ancient 'to tea' method, too," Watari informed them amusedly.

"Heee? My brat proposed directly to his parents?" Takaya looked shocked.

"Yeah… they were visiting Naoe-san… and it just happened. No rehearsal whatsoever. The Tachibana are familiar with the process, though. There wasn't even a glitch in the counteracting words. And Kagetora did all the talking himself."

"That's my boy for you."

"Well, finally one of them makes the move," Mina smiled, "When will 'the tea' be?"

"Next month," Watari frowned.

"All the more reason to move fast," Tatsumi sighed.

"Yeah…" Ayako's smile turned sour, "and we've nothing so far."

"Nothing at all?"

"Well, the problem is more psychological, that's for sure," Yoshiaki spoke carefully, "but his soul wasn't supposed to be weakened like that. Not that fast!"

"Mmm… we guess that someone's tampering, but we're not sure… I mean… none of us know the original state of his soul 400 years ago," Shuhei shook his head, "We're stumped, Watari-san."

"Well… we'll just do with what we have right now, and hope that no complication happen after this," Watari brightly smiled.

"As if…" Shuhei grumbled.

Watari took out a book from his bag, "Maybe this can help."

_TBC…_

**Some author's note:**

_Damn! I didn't mean it, but this chapter is so… shallow…_

_Gomen…_

_Hope you'll still be reading the next chapters… Actions start from now, I promise…_

_THR_


	7. Chapter 6

_Here's Lamentation: Chapter 6!_

_This is a crossover fic. You'll find people from other animes walking around, some merely passerby and some hold the key to the fic. But all in all, this is an MoB fic. The inserted characters happened because I don't know many people in MoB world..._

_sigh..._

_I've only watched the thirteen episodes of MoB, so I'm going to ignore everything that happened after (or before) that... I'll try not to ruin anything, though... _

_This happened a few weeks (or months) after the 'pier incident'... and after '99._

_R/R are greatly appreciated!_

Lamentation 

**Chapter 6**

**Enter the Demon**

Chiaki Shuhei was different from his other companions. He was not possessed when he was still an infant. He was the one person who actually gave up his body to be used by Yasuda Nagahide. He thought that at that time, he'd find peace in death.

Such a shallow thought.

Why he accepted his station in HenJouChou was beyond him, but he knew that he accepted it without doubt. His partner, Kadowaki Ayako, was also a shukutai, her body possessed by Kakizaki Haruie. Then he met a pair of yet another Meifu Operatives, the calm Tachibana Yoshiaki and the energetic Ougi Takaya.

He marveled how the four of them had to meet. He marveled at the close connection they feel. He marveled that none of them hold any grudge toward their possessor.

When he met Mina, the woman whose body was possessed by Kagetora before Takaya, he realized that there's a reason why they're all kept at Meifu. There's still something that needs to be done.

Something that will need all of them.

"_We have problem," Subaru said without preamble._

"_Now what?" Takaya groaned._

"_My friends and I have been checking on unusual spiritual occurrences, and we accidentally stumbled onto one of your… acquaintance."_

"_Acquaintance?" asked Naoe._

"_Yes. Kishuu-san?"_

_Kishuu Arashi, another member of Dragon of Heaven, nodded politely, "I was at Matsumoto, and a man came to me and asked me to deliver a message for Uesugi Kagetora."_

"_Really, now…" Nagahide looked intrigued, "Did he say his name?"_

"_Yes. Kousaka Danjou."_

"_Him?" Haruie sighed, "It should be good, then…"_

"_I won't say it's good… He said that the Uesugi should be careful… Mouri Ranmaru was planning something, and, I quote, 'It'll be a shame if the Uesugi are beaten by him now.' His words, not mine."_

"_Mouri Ranmaru… you mean… Hatayama?" asked Yuzuru._

"_If he still uses that body," Naoe assumed, "I think it's time for us to return to Matsumoto, don't you think?"_

"_But…" Takaya hesitated._

"_We can't stay here forever, "Naoe pointed out, "Yami Sengoku is our business."_

"_I know, but…"_

"_Don't worry about me, Takaya, I'm healed. I can perform my tasks well."_

_Takaya sighed, "Stubborn man. Okay, I give up. We'll go back to Matsumoto. But I don't want you to force yourself, okay? You're still healing."_

"_Why isn't anyone asking me?" Watari sighed exaggeratedly, "I'm the one who can say whether you may leave or not!"_

_Nagahide shrugged, "We have duties, sensei. We go whether you like it or not."_

_Watari smiled, "I know. I'm going with you, then."_

"_Eeehh???" Haruie was surprised, "Is it okay?"_

"_Sure it's okay. Besides, you guys are my duty! I'm going wherever you're going!"_

"_I think I shall accompany you, Yoshiaki," Subaru added, "I want to know what you're dealing with…"_

"_Eh? You will?" asked Watari, "Well… this will need a change of plan…"_

"_What?"_

"_Ah, it's okay! I'll just ask Tatsumi to be my partner for this mission, he won't mind, especially when mad doctor may be involved."_

_Subaru looked at Watari strangely, "Whatever…"_

That was yesterday.

They returned to Matsumoto using one of Nokoru's helicopters first thing the next morning, and instead of getting a hotel, Miya persuaded the other Yashashuu to take residence with her and her brother.

"I know the house isn't big," she had reasoned, "but wouldn't it be better if you all stay in the same place?"

That's why Chiaki was laying down in one of Takaya's bedrooms, listening intently to night voices outside.

Miya had dragged Haruie to her room, and 'ordered' Naoe to stay with Takaya. Watari-sensei and the other Shinigami, Tatsumi-san, got the other guest room, Subaru had chosen the sofa, and so he ended up sleeping in this room with Yuzuru, who flat refused to go home.

"I'm tied in, Chiaki. I'd rather stay here. It's not like I can sleep in my house anyway, not when I don't know what's happening with you guys!"

A fully determined Yuzuru is a powerful thing.

The rooms were small, yes, but both Takaya and Miya are utilitarian, so the rooms were practically bared besides a cupboard and a dressing table. The living room contains only a sofa set and a TV, the dining table was empty; there weren't any pictures on the wall, and nothing cluttered the top of tables or desks or cupboards around, which weren't many.

A very simple house, indeed.

"Takaya! Come on! We'll be late!"

"Why is it that I have to go to school anyway?"

"Niichan! Hurry up!"

"Bakatora! Move your ass or I'll kick you out myself!"

"Gahhhh!!!"

"You'd better go now, Takaya."

"Fine, fine. Pick me up after school?"

"Okay…"

"Okay, lover boy, enough kissing. Kagetora has to go to school!"

"Neesan! Oh, I give up! See you later, 'Tsuna!"

"Tsuna?!?!"

"Oh, my, you have a love-name, Yoshiaki…"

"Wah! The romance…. I can't take it!"

"Shut up, Watari-san…"

And there went the new morning ritual of the new Uesugi Household.

"Narita-kun!!!! Ougi-kun!!!!!!! "

Takaya grinned as he saw Morino Saori running towards them.

"Oh, hi, Morino," Yuzuru smiled at the girl, who smiled back ten times brighter. Then she sobered.

"How's Naoe-san?"

"He's better," Takaya said as they walked to their class, "A lot better."

"That's good," Saori smiled, "We were so worried… Where is he, now?"

"At my house, with Watari-sensei and the others."

"Heee? The cute doctor's also here? Neee, Ougi-kun… can I visit your house?"

"What? I thought you're still infatuated to Yuzuru?"

"Infatuated to me?"

"Ougi-kun!!!!!!"

"Alright, students, get into your seats!"

Takaya whirled around and saw Nagahide grinning at him.

"Good morning, Class! I am your new History teacher."

Takaya groaned.

Saori was giggling uncontrollably as Takaya grumbled to his new cell phone. Yuzuru looked very amused.

"Somehow, Ougi-kun in love is a very interesting object to observed," the girl commented.

"Yeah… You saw how he was in class…"

"Uh-huh… Chiaki-sensei is very naughty, though…"

Nagahide had devilishly chosen the topic of The Naoe Family as their subject that morning. His history lesson was great, of course, having first-hand experience about it made the class seemed like a trip to the past.

It did not help that Nagahide seemed to focus on the almost unknown figure of The Naoe.

Naoe Nobutsuna.

The class was thrilled. Yuzuru was amused. Saori was giggling here and there. Takaya was alternating between listening intently, blushing, and choking.

And then there was the assignment. An individual two-pages essay about Naoe Nobutsuna.

Yuzuru was laughing after Nagahide left the class. Takaya was doing a perfect imitation of a gagged fish. Saori, of course, was giggling.

Which led them here. On the rooftop, listening to Takaya whining on the phone.

"I don't see why it's so hard, Takaya. You can always interview Naoe-san…"

"No," Takaya said as he slipped his cell phone into his pocket, "I asked him to drive me to the Library…"

"Heee??? But I was planning on interviewing Naoe-san…" Saori whined.

"No way! If we interview him, it'll be like prying into his personal matters!"

"He's a historical figure!"

"I'm a historical figure, too!"

"Fine, then, next time, I'll ask Chiaki-sensei about Uesugi Kagetora."

"Morino! Don't even think about it!"

"Well, then, call Naoe-san again and tell him that I want to interview him!"

"Aaaagghhhh!!! Girls…"

Yuzuru, leaning on the railing, suddenly tensed, "Takaya…"

"What?"

"Look, down there, by the gate…"

"Eh?"

Takaya stood up and moved beside Yuzuru. His eyes narrowed.

"Kousaka…"

"Yo, Kousaka!"

Kousaka Danjou grinned as he saw the Uesugi leader strode up to him, "Yo, Kagetora!"

"What are you doing here?" Takaya asked sharply.

"Me? I'm snooping around, like always."

"Huh. Is there something the Takeda wants, Kousaka?"

"The world."

"What else is new?"

Kousaka laughed, "Relax, Kagetora! I'm not here to fight. I just want to know how that pet of yours is doing. He's okay, I presume?"

Takaya bristled, "Why should you care?"

"Well," Kousaka smiled enigmatically, "I have my reasons…"

"I don't want to know."

"Well, don't ask, then."

Takaya was definitely annoyed, "Are you here to spy on us?"

"Why, yes! Can't you tell?"

Takaya growled, "Kousaka… Damn you."

"Well, you did ask…"

Takaya's attention was riveted to a car coming towards them. The black car stopped beside them, and Naoe stepped out of the car.

"Kousaka, what are you doing here?"

Kousaka shook his head, "Shame on you, Naoe! Greeting your enemy before greeting your lover…"

Naoe actually looked embarrassed as he looked apologetically at Takaya.

The younger man shrugged, "S'okay, it's no big deal. I also want to know why he's here."

Naoe shook his head, "Kousaka… don't tell me you're trying to get Narita-san again."

"Who, me?" asked Kousaka innocently, "No… Of course not… I've bigger fish to bait now…"

"Eh?"

"Yeah… Nobunaga's began his activity again… I'm thinking of spying Mouri, but I don't really know how to look for him, so I thought I'll just go here, and see if Mouri's keeping an eye on Narita or Kagetora here."

"Oh, really… Using Kagetora-sama as bait, eh?"

"Not really… I'm simply using the best means to achieve my goal."

"And that is?"

Kousaka leered, looking at Naoe from head to toe, "Oh, that's my secret…"

Takaya found himself furiously jealous. Kousaka's flirting with his Naoe! Growling, the younger man stepped forward, "Why don't you just leave, Kousaka?"

"Nope. I like it here. It's… lively."

"Kousaka… do me a favor and spy on us from the shadows?" Naoe sighed.

Kousaka laughed, "Anything for you, Naoe! Bye, Kagetora! Try not to chain him too much, eh?"

Takaya was tempted to hit the pale man who was walking away, laughing, but Naoe shook his head.

"Don't, Takaya, he's not worth the time."

Takaya grumbled, "That bastard is eyeing you…"

"Huh?"

Takaya looked at Naoe with disbelief clearly written on his way. "That guy! He's flirting at you!"

Naoe shook his head, "I think you're mistaken. He's a Takeda warrior. He's spying on us because he wants something."

Takaya grumbled some more.

Naoe looked amused, "Takaya… don't tell me… are you jealous?"

Takaya simply continued to grumble.

The bell rang, and students poured out of the school. Yuzuru and Saori ran out towards the gate, Yuzuru carrying Takaya's bag.

"Where is he?" asked Yuzuru.

"Where is who?" Takaya cocked his head.

"That Takeda guy! The Kousaka one!" Saori looked around, " He's gone already?"

"Yeah…"

"Heh…" Yuzuru huffed, "Did he say anything?"

"Nothing of any importance," Naoe shook his head, "Hello, Saori-san."

Saori's eyes lit up, "Naoe-san! It's good to see you. Are you okay now?"

Naoe nodded, "Yes. Sorry for making you worry."

"Nah… although I was really worried… Yuhiko kept on calling me from Tokyo, asking about you. Now I can tell her that you're okay."

Takaya and Yuzuru exchanged glances, "We didn't think of calling you or Yuhiko-san, Morino, sorry."

"S'okay. But…"

"But?" asked Naoe.

"Neee… Naoe-san… Can you help me with my homework?"

"Homework?"

"Morino! Don't!"

"Aww… but Ougi-kun…"

"NO!"

Yuzuru laughed, "Forget it, Takaya. You won't win against her."

"Is there anything I can help?" Naoe looked confused.

"Well…" Saori latched onto Naoe's arms, "We have a history assignment."

"Oh, yes. Do you want me to drive you to the library? Takaya asked me to; you can come along."

"Noooo!!! It's not that! Did Ougi-kun tell you what the assignment about?"

"No," Naoe shook his head, looking at the two younger men, "He only said that Nagahide gave a hard homework."

"Did I?" asked Nagahide, who appeared behind the two, "It's not hard, I know it's not."

"For you, maybe. I should have you beheaded for that," Takaya protested.

"Eh…" Naoe looked lost, "I'm missing something here."

"I gave them a home project for tomorrow, " Nagahide grinned, "A two pages essay about one Naoe Nobutsuna."

Naoe looked astonished, a smile warmed his lips, "Let me guess," he asked the girl currently attached to his arms, "You want to interview me?"

"Yup!" Saori nodded enthusiastically, "Can I?"

"Hm…" Naoe laughed a bit, "Why don't I just tell what the history wrote about me, and you copy it down? I mean, I highly don't think the world needs to know that Naoe Nobutsuna is currently still alive and walking among them."

"I guess," Saori looked disappointed, "but hearing it from you will be a lot faster than trying to find the info from the library's history books."

"Well, then I'll be glad to assist you."

Takaya grumbled.

"Oh, lighten up, Takaya, it's not like we're going to do anything to Naoe-san!" Yuzuru laughed.

"You know, Ougi-kun? For someone so cold and aloof, you can be very amusing when jealous," Saori commented.

Takaya pouted some more.

Naoe couldn't help it. He laughed.

"Well, that's all about it, I guess," Naoe leaned back against the wall as Saori nodded.

"Okay! That should do it," the girl grinned.

"It'll be longer than two pages," Yuzuru commented, looking at the things he wrote.

Takaya groaned, "Now I have to type it! Gah!"

"But it is way faster than going to the library!" Saori laughed.

Miya smiled, "You interviewed the subject personally, of course it's faster!"

"I just hope I didn't give you anything different than what the history wrote…"

"Don't worry," Nagahide grinned, "I'll censor the papers for you."

"I still don't understand why you gave us HIM as our subject."

"The Uesugi retainers have a full chapter in your history book."

"Oh, really?" asked Haruie.

"Yeah. I couldn't stop laughing when I saw it."

"I bet it's quite amusing," Naoe nodded, "I know I found it amusing at high school."

"You must've been a model student when you were at school, ne, Naoe-san?" asked Saori.

"Me? No. I didn't spend much time at school, really. Besides, one of my older siblings would drive me to and fro school all the time."

"What about clubs? I bet you took martial arts!"

"No, I didn't join any club, either."

"Really?" Takaya was intrigued, "I thought you were the guy who ruled your school."

"Barely," Haruie shook her head, "His head was too messed up at that time."

"What?"

A look from Naoe silenced whatever it was that Haruie wanted to say.

"There wasn't anyone to play with, I guess," Naoe said instead.

Takaya frowned, but he let it go.

"I'm going to buy some cigarettes, I wont be long," Naoe said as he stood up.

"I'll go with you," Takaya offered.

Naoe shook his head, "No need. It's only a block away."

"What the hell are you doing?"

"What do you mean?" Naoe asked the man standing behind him.

Kousaka Danjou sighed, "I mean, why are you acting like a love-struck teenager?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Heh. Like hell you don't. You're not acting like yourself, Naoe. You're acting the way that brat wants you to be."

"And like what is that?"

"The strong dependable loving protector!"

Naoe sighed, "That's how he appreciates me the most."

Kousaka cursed softly, "Naoe, either you're really getting soft, or you're loosing your touch."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Yeah, right. And I'm the prime minister."

"You can always take his body. He's not young, but powerful. That way, The Takeda will really rules over Japan."

This time, Kousaka smirked, "Nice to know there's still fire in you, Naoe."

"What fire?"

"Naoe… honestly… you're a masochist. You thrive in pain. Pleasure is not your friend."

"I refuse to comment on that."

"Yeah, yeah… Just take care of yourself. I find that the world is not as much fun without the war of love you two play," Kousaka said carelessly as he turned around and walked away, "Better go home now before Kagetora got scared and move his whole army to track you down."

"So… that's why mad doctor's interested in Naoe-san…"

Tatsumi shook his head, "This is getting even more twisted, Sakurazuka-san."

"It has always been twisted, Tatsumi," Watari shrugged.

"What's twisted?"

The two men turned around to see Tsuzuki and Hisoka behind them.

"This," Seishirou handed the thick folder he was reading to the Kyushu partners. Surprisingly, Tsuzuki was the one who read it first, "Oh, my…"

"What?" asked Hisoka, who snatched the book from his older partner's hand.

"Have the shukutai quartet been told?" asked Tsuzuki, even as Hisoka gave a sharp intake.

"Yes. They're officially in mission, now. Kitazato-san, too. At this rate, we may need the last Yashashuu, too."

"Katsunaga Irobe-san?" asked Hisoka, "But… isn't he still… young?"

"We can always move him into another body…"

"Is it allowed?"

"We'll ask for Enma's permission," Tatsumi decided, "Watari-san, you go back and watch over the Yashashuu with Sakurazuka-san. Tsuzuki-san, Kurosaki-kun, I'm not risking the two of you in this case since mad doctor's involved, but you can help the gushoushin and the shukutai here."

"Eh?" Seishirou looked at Tatsumi, "Tatsumi-san, I honestly can't accompany Watari. Subaru-kun is there."

"Your love problem is your own, Sakurazuka-san," Tatsumi smiled, "I'd appreciate if it doesn't interfere with your work. After all, Watari-san's partner is you, not me. And I need to see Kachou so I can negotiate Katsunaga-san's… transfer… to Enma Daioh."

"You can go invisible," Watari offered weakly.

Sakurazuka Seishirou sighed.

"Tachibana Yoshiaki, isn't it?"

Naoe turned around to see a tall handsome silver-haired man behind him.

"Yes," he nodded as he removed the car key from his pocket, "And you are?"

"Are you going to pick your lover from school?"

Naoe tensed, "Who are you?"

The silver haired man smirked, "Ah, I forgot that you were unconscious when I fussed over you. Allow me to introduce myself. Muraki Kazutaka. Although the Shinigami might call me Mad Doctor."

"Oh," Naoe frowned, "What can I do for you, sensei?"

"Why, I'm so glad you offered," Muraki leered, "There's so much you can do for me, Naoe-san. So much more…"

The wind blew hard, but Naoe didn't feel the chill, or heard the clinking of the keys as it fell onto the street.

The orange sun burned the youths at the school's gate. Saori looked impatient, she walked to the right and left, to and fro.

"Where's he?" she murmured, clapping her foot to the ground. "He must have forgotten about us… Ougi-kun?"

The tiger eyed youth shook his head. He looked awful, "I told him about the new assignment Chiaki gave us, and that you want to interview him again…"

"Maybe…" Yuzuru stopped his words, turning to the man standing beside the school's gate, "Ehhh… are you planning to stay there forever, Kousaka-san?"

"Why, can't I join you handsome youngsters?"

"Stop teasing him!" Saori pulled Yuzuru's arm, "What do you want anyway?"

"Hee… don't you like to hear what gossip I've heard?"

"Aaaaghh! Damn you! I don't need your gossips, I don't know why I trusted a pale mannequin like you!" Takaya turned around, his eyes flashing," Get the hell out of here!"

"Be kind to me for one minute, Kagetora …." Kousaka smiled maliciously, and Takaya was further ascertained that guy looked like a pale mannequin in a boutique's showcase. Tall, beautiful, yet cold.

"Why should we be kind?"

"Because I'm the pretty bird who brings important news. You see, Kagetora… your guardian cannot be here…"

"What?" Yuzuru looked at Takaya confusedly.

"Ehhh??? Why?!" Impatiently, Takaya jumped forward and grabbed Kousaka's shirt, "What have you done to him?"

"Me? I've done nothing. Didn't you see me waiting by the gate since morning?"

"Damn you, Kousaka! Where is he?!"

Kousaka shrugged, "He has found a better shelter to visit."

Takaya staggered back, "What?"

Kousaka simply smiled, and turned away, leaving three confused high school students.

None of them thought of running after him.

Takaya's heart turned bleak. Confused _'Where the hell is he?'_, suspicious _'What the hell is he doing?'_, upset _'He's supposed to be here right now!'_ and jealous _'How come THAT GUY knows about him more than me?!'_

Takaya was not thinking rationally.

The orange sun turned red and the darkness offered its cold hands to the whole city.

Still no sign of Naoe.

"_He has found a better shelter to visit …"_

"Yoshiaki!"

Takaya moved forward to catch his older partner as he slid down, one hand on his chest.

"Yoshiaki, what's wrong?"

"Something… Nobutsuna…"

Ayako ran near with Shuhei at her heels, "What's wrong?"

Yoshiaki grabbed Takaya's lapel tightly, his face scrunched in pain, "Takaya… Nobutsuna… he's… he's not…"

And then he knew no more.

_TBC…_

**Some author's note:**

_I was kind of depressed and still sick when I write this, so it didn't come out right, but Shunita insisted that I post it anyway, so… I hope it's still worthy of reading._

_Thank you for those who read and comment:_

_Sarah-san… I will need your help with Irobe, you know… _

_Lynn-san… SO, you quit? How's the new work?_

_Squallwinger-san… here's the next chapter, hope you'll enjoy it._

_Grace-san… I hope to see you at messenger again soon._

_Suzy-san… Is there any way I can reach you? E-mail, maybe?_

_Tsu… I know you read this. Ganbatte, niichan._

_Shin… I know that Tsu reads you this. Get well soon, niichama._

_Ayako… Good luck with the big babies. _

_Masashi… I find you amusing. Don't make me change my mind._

_Lidya… you're the best, Liddy. I know you are._

_Michael, Jill, and the others… thanks for taking care of my big babies._

_Popeye… Yes, I write yaoi. So what?_

_SarahKurai, MadameDewi, and Shunita… thanks for your patience!_

_And for the others; I hope this one is not disappointing._

_And now, the long awaited notes for chapters 3 to 6, as asked by SarahKurai (formerly known as SarahSith) _

**Chapter 3**

_Monou Kotori: The latest Kamui sacrifice, Monou Fuuma (Dark Kamui)'s younger sister. A yumemi, although her full potential is unknown, since she died before much else._

_Meifu: land of the dead_

_Annainin: Reikai ferry girls who ferry souls to Meifu/Reikai, is under KoEnma-Daioh's command. (Yu Yu Hakusho story-wise)_

_Sumeragi Hokuto: Sumeragi Subaru's (one of the Dragon of Heaven) twin sister. Killed by Sakurazukamori when she was 16._

_Sumeragi Subaru: One of The Dragon of Heaven and Kamui's most trusted aide. Current Sakurazukamori._

_Sakurazuka Seishirou: The Sakurazukamori (before Subaru), the eternal enemy of the Sumeragi, and a Dragon of Earth. Have a love-hate relationship with Subaru that simply leads to death._

_Shukutai: I was told that Shukutai is the people whose body's used by kanshosha (or yashashuu? I'm not sure.) Here I make them as the group of Meifu workers whose bodies currently used by the Yashashuu._

_Hinoto and Kanoe: the yumemi sisters. Hinoto dreamgazes, and Kanoe peeks at her sister's dreams._

_Kuzuki Kakyou: The Dragon of Earth's yumemi._

_Shirou Kamui: The Dragon of Heaven's Kamui_

_Tsuzuki Asato and Kurosaki Hisoka: The Shinigami duo in charge of Kyushu._

_Arisugawa Sorata: Another Dragon of Heaven, Kamui's most trusted aide beside Subaru. His power is electricity (?)_

_Kasumi Karen: Another Dragon of Heaven, her power is fire._

_Kitazato Minako: I got two surnames for Mina, Kitazato and Kitazawa. I take Kitazato because the name Kitazawa reminds me of Gravitation's Kitazawa Yuki. Please correct me if I'm wrong._

_Tree-san: A term coined in Atropos, I like it, and I really do think that the Sakurazuka tree is a sentient._

Chapter 4 

_Kiseki: The book of the dead, is safely placed in The Castle of candles under the watchful eyes of Hakushaku-sama (Yami no Matsuei story-wise), each annainin has a copy of it (Yu Yu Hakusho story-wise)_

_Imonoyama Nokoru: The Head of Clamp School and the youngest heir of Imonoyama Corp, not to mention is the one who aide the Dragon of Heaven in their '99 struggle. Clamp School, his school, is designed as the most well protected area in Japan, as it should be, since it can stand against the attack of The Dragon of Earth, and it actually protects Kamui's Shinken (GodSword? DeathSword?) for some time._

_The Tachibana: I found the info about the Tachibana from several sources. Yoshiaki's mother is Tachibana Harue. The Tachibana siblings are Tachibana Teruhiro (married with children?), Tachibana Saeko (the only girl), Tachibana Yoshihiro (the monk), and our beloved Yoshiaki. Now all I need is Mr. Tachibana's name. Can anyone help me? I completely made up the psyche of the Tachibana, as my only source is Asphodel's Exaudi Nos translation and a li'l translation about Naoe's mother that I randomly found somewhere…The one when Asaoka Maiko came to the Tachibana House. The nickname Yoshinobu actually comes from the coined term TakaTora… if Takaya-Kagetora has one, why not Naoe? Tsuna comes from Shunita's nick-name dictionary. There will be another reason for that name later on in the story._

_Tsuta: Haruie's name when she met Shintarou, her doctor lover from 200 years before._

Chapter 6 HenJouChou: One of the Meifu JuOhChou bureaus beside EnMaChou. Kishuu Arashi: One of Kamui's Dragon of Heaven, Sorata's girlfriend. 

_Takaya's house: I imagine it'll be big enough, after all, a complete family used to live there, but quite empty._

_Chiaki-sensei: I know that Chiaki's supposed to be a classmate, but he's old enough to be a teacher (I think…), he can alter people's memory, and I'm intrigued by a copy of Minagiwa no hangyakusha Drama CD that I've heard. I like Chiaki-sensei better than Chiaki-sempai. Has anyone else heard the 'repeat after me' line from Nagahide? MadameDewi is crazy about it._

_Gushoushin: The two 'flying chickens' in Yami no Matsuei's world, in charge of Database and Library._

_A part of this chapter is based on something that MadameDewi wrote and I altered a li'l bit. Like always, all mistakes are solely mine, as I have no beta-reader available right now._

_Thanks for reading, hopefully more will come soon!_

Tenno Himekawa Rie 


	8. Chapter 7

Here's Lamentation: Chapter 7 

_This is a crossover fic. You'll find people from other animes walking around, some merely passerby and some hold the key to the fic. But all in all, this is an MoB fic. The inserted characters happened because I don't know many people in MoB world..._

_sigh..._

_I've only watched the thirteen episodes of MoB, so I'm going to ignore everything that happened after (or before) that... I'll try not to ruin anything, though... _

_This happened a few weeks (or months) after the 'pier incident'... and after '99._

_R/R are greatly appreciated!_

Lamentation 

**Chapter 7**

**And Here We Are**

Takaya was confused.

The only thing that kept Yoshiaki from hitting his head on the floor was because Shuhei and himself was able to support him, which was fortunate, because (Ayako remarked later on that) his head would've hit the table instead.

Not that Takaya paid any attention to it.

He always says that he's a man of action. Planning is Yoshiaki's forte, not his.

He's pretty damn sure that something must've gone wrong in Yoshiaki's long-term plan regarding their kanshosha. Actually, he was sure that something had gone awfully wrong when they first had to make contact with the said kanshosha. Different from Yoshiaki, who always makes sure that Nobutsuna's still 'alive', he cared none about Kagetora.

That is, until he met Yoshiaki.

The man currently lying unconscious on his lap.

"Naoe!"

Takaya stormed into his house, Yuzuru and Saori at his heels.

"NAOE!!"

"Ougi-kun! Stop yelling!" Saori snapped.

Miya appeared from the kitchen, a spatula in her hand, "Oniichan! Can't you be any louder? You'll wake the dead yelling like that," the girl complained.

"Where's Naoe?" asked Takaya briskly.

"Not here," Miya shrugged, "The house was empty when I came home."

"But his car's parked outside."

"Maybe he walked? You know how expensive gas is nowadays."

Takaya almost commented on how Naoe's not supposed to worry about that, given his family financial background, but Yuzuru's voice behind him cut that sarcastic thought.

"He was supposed to pick us up, Miya-chan."

"He didn't," continued Saori.

Miya frowned, an expression most unbecoming on her face.

Takaya suddenly felt nervous as her sister's eyes seized on him suddenly.

"What? I didn't do anything," he said defensively," I was at school, I swear it. Ask Yuzuru!"

Miya turned around and walked into the kitchen, Takaya behind her. Yuzuru and Saori looked at each other and followed, while keeping in mind to stay as away as possible.

"Forgive me, Oniichan, at first I thought you had another lovers' spat with him," Miya said as she put the spatula in a nearby bowl, "I noticed that he seemed withdrawn since last night."

"Eh?"

"You didn't?" asked Yuzuru, surprised, "I did, too."

Takaya shook his head wearily.

"Some lover you are..." grumbled Saori.

Takaya shot her a look.

"Hey, it's true," Saori defended herself.

"Well, you didn't notice too!"

"I'm not his lover. Neither is Narita-kun."

That crumbled whatever retort Takaya had on his tongue.

"Maybe he went with Ayako-san? Or Chiaki-san?" asked Miya.

"Or maybe with Sumeragi-sama? Or Watari-sensei, perhaps?" supplied Saori.

"Without telling us?" asked Takaya, "He promised to pick us up, remember, Morino?"

"His cellphone?" asked Miya.

"Inactive," said Yuzuru.

Miya looked at her brother, "Anything weird happened today?"

"Well... yes..." Takaya ran a nervous hand through his hair, "Do you remember Kousaka Danjou, the one I told you about, the Takeda retainer?"

"The purple-lip man whom you think has a crush on Yoshiaki-niisan?" Miya asked, incidentally making Yuzuru choked.

"Crush on Naoe-san?" asked Saori, amused.

"If anything, I think he has a crush on YOU, Takaya..." Yuzuru sniggered.

"Miya..." Takaya growled threateningly.

The effort was lost on Miya, who was looking at him intently, "What about him?"

"He appeared at our school again today, and he spent all school hours standing by the gate," said Yuzuru, "And then when we waited for Naoe-san, he came to us and said that..."

"That?"

Yuzuru looked at Takaya nervously.

"That Naoe-san has a better shelter to visit," Saori said softly.

Miya looked at her brother intently, "Niichan... are you sure everything's okay with you and Yoshiaki-niisan? Or rather, is he okay with you?"

"Does it have anything to do with us asking him to tell us his history yesterday?" asked Saori worriedly.

"I don't think so..." said Takaya, "He didn't say anything that history books didn't say..."

"Well, he did look strangely ill at ease after that," said Yuzuru, "After he went out to buy cigarette, to be precise."

"No..." Miya bit her lips, "It was before that... It was after you asked about his school life, Niichan..."

"You have good memory," commented Saori.

Miya smiled, "It's my ace card. I don't have photographic memory, but I do notice many things."

The front door opened, and Takaya whirled instantly, "Naoe?" he yelled.

"No, it's Subaru," a voice answered. The head of the Sumeragi Family entered the kitchen then, "I thought he's home already? He picked you up, right? His car is outside."

"No, Subaru-san, he didn't," said Yuzuru, "We waited for quite long, but he didn't show up, so we went home walking."

"He wasn't home when I came," said Miya, "which was before Niichan came, but his car was already outside."

"Ladies, I'm home!" Chiaki's voice floated along with the sound of door opening.

"Oh, shut up, Nagahide, and help me with this," Haruie's voice followed.

Looking at each other, the five people in the kitchen scrambled out toward the front door.

"Chiaki! Is Naoe with you?" asked Takaya urgently.

"Eh?" asked Chiaki, "No, he's not. Haruie and I went shopping, remember? When we went out, he was still home."

"His car is outside, "said Haruie.

"I know that his car is outside! It hasn't even budged ever since I came home! It was there when Miya came home! But Naoe isn't here, nor did he pick us up! And I don't care if Naoe's car is gone, I want to know where Naoe is and I want to know NOW!"

Takaya was either enraged or on the verge of panic.

Looking at him, Saori decided that it's probably both.

"Uhm..." Haruie looked at Yuzuru, who shrugged helplessly.

"Yoshiaki-niisan didn't pick up Niichan at school. His car was outside when I came home, which was an hour before Niichan came," explained Miya quietly.

"I left after you two did, but Yoshiaki was still home at that time..." Subaru looked at Nagahide worriedly.

"And when we were waiting, Kousaka-Danjou..."

Takaya whirled around and stomped toward the room he shared with Naoe, leaving Yuzuru, forgetting his report, looking at his back.

"I guess he really hates Kousaka..." Saori sighed.

"Saori-chan went home," Haruie said softly.

"Have you found him yet?"

She looked at Takaya, who was sitting on the floor, leaning on the wall, smoking one of Naoe's Parliament cigarettes, Naoe's jacket draped on his slumped shoulders.

"Not yet," the female kanshosha said, walking into the room and sat beside him, "But we haven't been able to contact Watari-sensei either, so there's a possibility that he's with that crazy doctor..."

Takaya shook his head, "Watari-sensei went back to Meifu, right? He left before Subaru left."

"Well..." Haruie sighed, "He's not answering our shinenha... but Nagahide has sent the Nokizaru out to search, so..."

"The Nokizaru won't find him, Neesan... Not if he wants to disappear."

"And why would he want to disappear?" asked Nagahide, standing by the door.

"I don't know," Takaya groaned, "But whatever it is, it's gotta be my fault."

"How in the world could you come up with that sick sick theory?" asked Haruie.

Takaya looked at her sadly, making her wince.

"And when was his grief not of my making?"

"I say you're both at fault, Kagetora..." Nagahide said, "Both of you stubborn fools brought this onto yourself. It's just a coincidence that he broke first."

Takaya shook his head, as if trying to get rid of an unwanted thought, "I don't know, Chiaki... I don't know anymore... Much as I want to be natural with him, all of my actions, my words... I became so afraid that either I'd drive him away again or, worse off; I'd break him, yet again... I mean... I didn't mean to push him away before... Yet, what happened..."

Haruie smiled sadly, "Both of you are too much alike in a way, Kagetora... Both of you crave for the intimacy, but both of you fear it... He wants you, but he's afraid to have you..."

"And I want him, yet I'm afraid to have him," Takaya laughed, "This is stupid."

Nagahide and Haruie looked at him tiredly.

"Kagetora-san! Nagahide-san, Haruie-san!" Subaru's voice came calling them, "Can you come here for a minute!"

"Hai!" All three rushed toward where Subaru called them.

"What is it?" asked Nagahide, who first came into the room, and stopped short.

There, in the living room, stood a tall brown-haired man clad in dark trenchcoat. His handsome face was set in a dark frown, and his brilliant amethyst eyes shone hard.

After meeting three of them, he knows a shinigami when he sees one.

"This is Tsuzuki Asato. Meifu sent him," said Yuzuru.

"I have no time to explain," Tsuzuki said briskly, "Tatsumi told me to bring all of you to Meifu now. All explanation can wait."

"All of us?" asked Miya.

"Yes, Miya-chan, you have to come, too," Tsuzuki gave her a small smile, "It will be safer that way."

"But Naoe-san is not here..." Yuzuru said hesitantly, "Or perhaps..."

Tsuzuki nodded, "It's about Naoe-san."

Takaya sighed, "Let's go then. What must we do?"

"Hold hands, or at least make sure you're touching someone," Tsuzuki said simply.

Miya hugged her brother _(It's okay, Niichan, it's okay)_, who hugged her back _(Oh, God, Tsuna, please be okay, please be okay...)_, Yuzuru touched his shoulder _(God, why do this keeps on happening)_, Haruie wound her arm around Miya _(Just stay calm, stay strong, or you won't be of any help)_ and grabbed Subaru using the other hand _(Oh, Yoshiaki, please be alright, otherwise...)_, and Yuzuru reached out to touch Nagahide's arm _(be the wise one now, don't panic, don't crumble...)_. The shinigami, Tsuzuki, put a hand on Subaru's shoulder, and another on Nagahide's, and they disappeared from the room.

Meifu, Yuzuru decided, looked nothing like what he imagined.

Stories that he knew suggested that Meifu is... well... a ghost land. But nothing would prepare him for a version of the Diet building with sakura all around it.

Tsuzuki led them through the building and working people until they came to a closed door with the nametag 'Juohcho Shokanka Summon Division Meeting Room' on it.

Tsuzuki knocked on it, "Tsuzuki desu!"

"Come in, Tsuzuki," a deep voice was heard, and Tsuzuki opened the door, ushering them inside, before finally closing the door behind them.

There, around a long square table, sat the secretary Tatsumi Seiichirou, the empath boy Kurosaki Hisoka, and an older man, whom Yuzuru thought must be their boss.

"I got them, Kachou," Tsuzuki said.

"Good," the old man stood up, "Please, have a seat."

They moved to take the vacant chairs, fidgeting all the while.

"I am Konoe, the chief of the summon division. I'm sorry that we had to take you here in a hurry, but an unexpected development had occurred and the... taking of you people are necessary, if we want to minimize the possible further damage."

"Where's Naoe?" asked Takaya without preamble.

"Oniichan..." Miya tried to shush him, but Takaya would have none of it.

"You know where he is, right? You've taken him here, too?"

Tatsumi felt sorry that he had to quench the hope in the young man's eyes, "No, I'm afraid we didn't, Kagetora-san. Naoe-san was... already missing when we found out that something was... wrong..."

It's just ridiculous how words suddenly don't feel enough to convey one's emotion, Hisoka thought.

"Where is he, then?" asked Haruie.

"We don't know. We've sent spirit trackers and every available Reikai Annainin we have are currently out to search him, even the Reikai Tantei. We're looking at every possible, even impossible, places."

"We might have to do more than that, Tatsumi," Tsuzuki said quietly, "What Muraki holds, he doesn't let go."

Takaya gave a sharp intake of breath, "Muraki?"

"Yes," Hisoka nodded, "we suspected that he was the one who take Naoe-san."

"But... why?" asked Subaru, "He let him be at the hospital. Why take him after he's recovered? I mean, a recovered Yoshiaki is by no means defenseless."

"Well, mad doctor still got him, right?" asked Nagahide sarcastically.

"What do we do, then?" asked Haruie.

"For now, we keep on searching," said Konoe, "And we'll be keeping you here, I'm afraid. I'm not sure if Muraki means to capture Naoe-san individually, or if he means to capture all of you. We've also put guards for the people closest to Naoe-san and to all of you, just in case he thinks of using them to get you."

"He might just do that, eh..." Yuzuru sighed.

"I'm sorry, Yuzuru, for dragging you into this mess..." Takaya looked guilty.

"Don't be, Takaya. It's my choice to plunge myself in, not yours."

"You too, Miya..."

Miya smiled, "It doesn't matter, oniichan. It sure beats the hell out of homework everyday."

Takaya laughed bitterly.

"Konoe-san, if you please," Subaru said, "I have friends that might be able to help..."

"If you mean Imonoyama Nokoru, go right ahead and call him, Sumeragi-san. You can use your cell phone from here."

"Oh... okay... How can he be of any help?" Subaru asked, suddenly feeling stupid for offering something he's not sure how to get.

"Mayhap, he can move the rest of the Dragons?" asked Tatsumi, "It will help a lot to have more people with more firepower..."

"Will it be okay, Tatsumi? I mean..." Tsuzuki stopped.

"It's inevitable..." Hisoka sighed.

Tsuzuki nodded slowly, "I hate Armageddon. It just simply doesn't stop hurting."

Hisoka nodded.

Subaru looked at them but said nothing.

Then there was a knock, followed by the creaking sound of opened door.

"Kachou, we've cleared area six, what would you suppose..."

Subaru froze.

He knew that voice well.

"Ah, Sakurazuka. Area Six cleared? Well, don't you go slacking off, though, Muraki's one tough bastard, and he likes Kyoto and Tokyo best," Konoe said, amusedly looking at Subaru and the newcomer.

Tsuzuki stepped closer toward Hisoka, who suddenly grabbed Tatsumi's jacket, his face pale. The said secretary reached out and held the boy close, Tsuzuki completing the shield by standing protectively in front of them.

Hisoka couldn't help but to peek, though.

Suddenly the man was pushed into the room, and a female voice joined, "Mou, Sei-chan, move! Kachou, area one finished. Can we... oops..."

Subaru whirled around, and faced another tall man wearing dark sunglasses. Behind him, a girl, a younger female version of Subaru looked amused.

"Seishirou-san... Hokuto-chan..." Subaru choked.

Behind him, he heard someone coughed.

A second later...

"SUBARU-CHAN!!!!!"

Subaru found himself being hugged so hard by his long dead twin sister.

"Hokuto-chan..." he weakly hugged her back, "You're alive..."

"No, I'm not, baka! I can't work at Meifu if I'm alive!"

Subaru choked, "Whatever..."

The other man gave a polite cough, "Well, I shall be going now, Kacho..."

"Not so fast, Seishirou-san..." Subaru said calmly.

Hokuto bemusedly stepped away, allowing her twin to step toward Seishirou, who was rooted there.

The others stayed well away, yet looked at the pair curiously.

"It's been quite a long time, Seishirou-san."

"It has, Subaru-kun."

Subaru smiled sadly, "Even after all this time, you still call me that?"

"You still call me Seishirou-san. Besides, old habit dies hard."

"Aa..." Subaru shrugged, "glad to know that at least there's one part of you I didn't kill."

"Subaru-kun..." Seishirou flinched.

"There are two things that I've always wanted to do after Rainbow Bridge, Seishirou-san..." Subaru trailed off.

"Which are?" Seishirou tilted his head, a ghost of smile on his face.

"This."

Subaru raised his fist and hit Seishirou's face hard, that the man actually staggered back.

Hokuto slapped her mouth to stop a protest. Her twin needed this.

Seishirou wiped his bleeding lip on his sleeve, "Okay, I deserve that. And the other one?"

"This."

And Subaru stepped forward, closing their distance until they stood an inch from each other, reached up to lock his arms behind Seishirou's neck, making the older man bent his head down, and silently kissed him.

Seishirou's eyes widened and he tried to push Subaru away, but the younger man was clinging to him, and his lips were warm on his own, and he realized that the Sumeragi was crying.

Instead of letting go, he held him tighter, feeling the body trembling against his own, and the kiss gradually became heated.

"My... I know that you guys need a make-up sex, but to do it in front of the door and everyone is a little too kinky, don't you think so, Sei-san?"

The two men broke apart, and Subaru's eyes caught the purple-eyed boy standing by the door.

"Kamui..." Subaru said weakly, still in Seishirou's arm.

"The one and only. Well, not really..." Kamui scrunched his face, "Kacho, area three cleared. I'm going down to get donut, anyone want some?"

"Just get plenty of it, Shirou," Konoe groaned, "We have an army to feed..."

"Gotcha. Nice meeting you again, Subaru, and I'll be wanting a hug later on when Sei-san is not around to chop me to pieces for trying to molest you, but for now just enjoy your reunion. Oh, and the quartet are demanding to see theirs, Kacho. Well, three of them. One is still unconscious."

"We'll get to that later, Shirou-kun," said Tatsumi, "and make sure you buy coffee... a lot of them."

"Gotcha, Tatsumi-san. I'll see you later, Subaru. Hokuto-chan, don't you bother them too much, kay? At least let them have some time together."

"I think I'll go with you, Kamui..." Hokuto smiled, "Subaru and I can talk later on."

Kamui nodded, and the two promptly disappeared.

"Sakurazuka..." Konoe coughed, "I suggest you to take Sumeragi-san into your own quarter. I'm quite sure you two have much to talk about."

Seishirou nodded, "I think I will, Kacho, arigato. Subaru-kun, keep holding onto me, okay?"

And he disappeared, taking Subaru with him.

Takaya looked at the remaining shinigami in the room, "What was that all about?"

Tsuzuki shrugged, "Tatsumi, Kacho, I'm taking Hisoka to bed, okay? He needs rest, those emotional buffets were definitely too much."

Hisoka nodded, still half clinging to Tsuzuki.

"Hai, just take your time, Kurosaki-kun," Tatsumi nodded.

Again, two people disappeared from the room, leaving the three kanshosha, Yuzuru, and Miya with Tatsumi and Konoe.

"You will be taking these people into your office, Tatsumi?" asked Konoe

Tatsumi nodded and stood up, "If you'd follow me, please?"

They had no choice but to follow.

"What was that all about?" asked Haruie.

"The whole thing with Sumeragi-san?" asked Tatsumi, "Well, in short, Sakurazuka-san killed Sumeragi-san's twin sister, Hokuto, when they were... sixteen, I think. Nine years later, at the end of the world fiasco, Sumeragi-san ended up killing Sakurazuka-san."

"Oh?" asked Takaya, raising an eyebrow, "So, he got his revenge, right?"

"In a way. The problem is, Sumeragi-san is in love with Sakurazuka-san."

"We've noticed," said Nagahide dryly.

"The end of the world fiasco?" asked Miya.

"Aa... some people refer to it as Armageddon. It happened several years ago. Two groups of people battled for the sake of the continuation, or renewal of the world."

"Who won?" asked Haruie.

"I have no idea," said Tatsumi, "one thing's for sure, the world didn't cease to be."

"And the kid? Eh... Shirou?" asked Nagahide.

"Shirou Kamui. The Kamui of the Dragons of Heaven."

"I'm confused," said Yuzuru.

"You have to be. This is not an easy thing to understand, and it's not you department either."

"Talking about department," Nagahide said, "I seem to remember that you mentioned something about us being part of shinigami?"

"I did, didn't I?" Tatsumi was clearly amused, "I was hoping you've forgotten about it."

"Well, I didn't."

"Maa... It would serve as a preamble for what you're about to see, or, better yet, whom you're about to meet..." Tatsumi shrugged.

"Eh?"

Tatsumi opened the door that leads to the office break room.

"This is your office?" Takaya asked, confused.

"Obviously, Kacho forgot that my office is small that it can't accommodate these many people. So the break room will have to do."

"Oh... I thought you double shift as a cook or something."

Tatsumi chuckled, "Contrary to popular beliefs, my cooking is not nearly as bad as Tsuzuki's; although it's not as good as Kannuki's, yet I do consider myself a good cook."

"Only if you eat on cereal and coffee, Seii..."

Watari entered the room leisurely; his owl trilled a welcome on his shoulder.

Miya clapped her hands and the owl flew to her.

"How cute!" the girl squealed.

"Her name's 003," Watari smiled.

"That's a weird name," Haruie commented.

"Say as you wish, Haruie-san."

"How's your patient?" asked Tatsumi.

"He's awake, and is currently being smothered by his stricken colleagues that I had to remove myself from their vicinity."

"He is? That's good. Anything he can provide us with?"

"He'd just woken up, Tatsumi, be more considerate, will you?"

"Hmmm..."Nagahide smirked, "So when it's personal, it's 'Seii', but when it's professional, it's 'Tatsumi', eh, Sensei?"

"What? Oh. It's habit. Seii is the nicest person you could ever meet, but Tatsumi's the scary secretary. One just has to differ them. So, why exactly are you all gathering here for?"

"I was going to explain about their contract. Would you do the honour, Watari?"

Watari took a chair and gestured for the others to sit down.

"Well, I guess I have to start at 400 years ago, before Uesugi Kenshin's death."

"Before that?" asked Takaya, surprised.

"Yes, Kagetora-san. Before that, Kenshin, besides being a war general, was actually a seer. He never actually realized this ability until sometimes before his death, after he declared that Kagetora and Kagekatsu were both his heirs. Around that time, the record says, while meeting Naoe Sanetsuna, he saw a glimpse of Sanetsuna's heir and son in law, Nobutsuna, and he was struck by a vision of, based on what he said, 'places that changes from one time to another around his people, and a future battle that will destroy a world barely recovered from a devastating sadness.' He also mentioned many people who, in his words, 'were supposed to be long gone, yet were still battling each other and ruining the world.'"

"In short, he saw that even after they're dead, the Sengoku would still go on," Tatsumi continued, "Somehow, he felt that he had to do something. So when he died, he refused to move on and ignored the Annainin sent for him, at that time, it was Botan-san, if I'm not mistaken."

"Botan-san is one of the top-ranked annainin closest to Koenma-Daioh-sama, Enma-Daioh-sama's son and heir. She asked Kenshin why he refused to move on, and he told her of his vision. At the same time, the war between Kagekatsu and Kagetora started, and, needless to say, Kenshin witnessed it all."

"He... did?" asked Takaya quietly, "Why didn't he try to interfere, then? Why did he..."

"He's dead, Takaya-san. The dead aren't suposed to meddle with the living's affair. But those that come from the Sengoku Jidai carried enough fuel of ambition, desire, and hatred that they refused to, well, give up their existence. Hence, the Yami-Sengoku."

"If let to their own devices, the undead warlords will turn the world asunder with their never-ending war. So, Kenshin came up with an... idea," here, Watari snorted, "He realized that around him, there were people with great spiritual power and noble heart. So he gave a proposal to Botan-san, give his people the aid to do possession so they can maintain order of the Yami Sengoku, and he'd move on. Botan-san reported this to Koenma-sama, who reported it to Enma-sama, who agreed to give the aid to five people only, and that the Meikai Uesugi Yashashuu will be put under Juohcho Shokanka at the same level as the Summoning Department. So Kenshin chose five of his men. Kakizaki Haruie, Yasuda Nagahide, Katsunaga Irobe, Uesugi Kagetora, and Uesugi Kagekatsu."

"Huh?" Haruie started.

"Kagekatsu?" asked Nagahide.

"But Kagekatsu's not one of the Yashashuu," said Yuzuru.

"Naoe Nobutsuna is," said Miya.

"I know," Tatsumi nodded, "Enma-sama reminded him that if he has both Kagetora and Kagekatsu in the same troops, he'd as well create another Otate no Ran. So he had to choose one of them. He chose Kagetora."

"Why?" asked Takaya, "Why me? Why not Kagekatsu, who's his real nephew? Why chose me, the eighth son of the Hojo?"

"I don't know," said Watari simply, "We only know what our archives have."

"But then they have one empty slot, and Kenshin had to fill that slot. But he got confused; who else was there to choose? So Enma-sama gave a recommendation, why not chose the one who ignited the vision at the first place? So Kenshin chose Naoe Nobutsuna."

"Naoe was..."

"Recommended by The Lord of The Dead?"

Nagahide and Haruie looked at each other.

"Man, that's heavy..." Takaya shook his head.

"Well, that's the real story of the forming of the Yashashuu. The aid that Enma-sama granted, is the ability to do possession without consequences, and the, well, placing of one of Meifu's agents, in secret, of course, to guide you to all possible bodies around you should a possession is necessary."

"What? So it is orchestrated!" said Nagahide.

"Not really. You never realized that we're around, right? Sometimes, the original soul actually invited your soul in, like what happened to Nagahide-san's current possession. Haruie-san's current possession is a dead baby, the same as Kagetora-san, Naoe-san, and Irobe-san. Now, here's the hitch. What happens to the original souls?" Watari wiggled his finger.

No one said anything.

"I believe it was said before that the original souls would either be sent on, turned into guardian spirits, or an employee in Meifu," said Tatsumi, "Usually, when you do baby possession, the soul would just move on. When it's adult possession, they usually turned into guardian spirits for those they love the most, and when these loved ones dies, they'd move on too. For a long time, no one asked, and we never offered any original soul, to be an employee of Meifu. This, however, changed some 30 years ago."

Takaya stiffened.

"You see, a possession that Enma-sama legalized for the Yashashuu can only be done personally. When a soul is forcefully pushed into another body, like what Sanjo no kata almost did with Takeda Shingen, that's against the aid rule. Well, I'm afraid Kenshin decided to cheat when he signed the agreement with Enma-sama. He taught the switched possession technique to one of his retainer."

"Naoe," Takaya said dryly.

"Yes. It was the same technique he used to save your dying soul before Ougi Takaya let you use his body, Kagetora-san."

Silence.

"So, since it's a forbidden technique, he got punished because of that, didn't he?" asked Haruie.

"No," Tatsumi shook his head, "he would have, if other parties didn't interfere."

"Other... parties?"

"Yes. The original soul of the body Kagetora-san used before Ougi Takaya. Kitazato Minako."

Takaya paled.

"Normally, she would seek vengeance on what Naoe-san did to her. But she didn't. You see, we weren't able to interfere when you were still fighting Nobunaga, and after that you vanished to who knows where. When the shinigami on duty at that time, Tsuzuki, Watari, Kannuki, and I, were sent to collect Naoe-san..."

Tatsumi stopped, a smile on his lips, as if remembering something amusing, or heart-touching. Watari had the same expression on his face, only his smile was more brilliant, and his eyes glassy.

"She stopped us."

Nagahide and Haruie looked at each other. Takaya opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He closed them again and leaned back on his chair, as if waiting for the inevitable.

Watari looked at somewhere around the room, his eyes bright in memory, "It was very much too late when we came. Nagahide-san and Haruie-san already did their possession, and Irobe was saved. Naoe-san, though, spent his last bit of energy shielding you from Nobunaga's hakonha, that he couldn't do a possession even if he wants to. And at that time, he didn't want to. He simply stayed there, still in the Kazahara body that he possessed, waiting for death to claim him, I guess. And we came."

"We were ordered to take him, yes, and although the soul is still in the body, the body is already dead, so naturally, it would've been the usual get the soul out and bring him to judgment kind of job. Only we didn't expect Kitazato Minako shielding the soul. When we tried to dissuade her, she stood her ground, when the link finally failed and the soul was pushed out, she refused to let him go."

"When Minako's soul didn't turn up in Meifu after she was written in Kiseki, she became Tsuzuki and Kannuki's job. Ours, Tatsumi's and mine, was Naoe-san. But looking at that situation, we realized that all four of us would fail," Watari chuckled, "you just don't argue with a woman like that."

"Like what?" asked Haruie. The Minako she remembered was polite and, well... weak.

"Like Maria."

"Huh?"

Tatsumi smiled, "Her precise words when we tried to take Naoe-san by force was, 'This is my friend, the one I couldn't save from himself. This is the one who loves the one I love the most, more than I could ever be. This is a tortured soul that would have rested long ago if only you'd let him be. If you want to take him now, then forgive me if I have to stand in your way.'"

"How? I mean, well... you're shinigami, right? You can just... cast her aside anytime, even in her best days!" argued Nagahide.

"Maybe not."

All looked at Takaya.

"When... I was in her body... I felt tremendous strength I've never felt before. I think... the reason why my soul could hold on so long after being hit by hakonha, is because I was shielded in her body. Were it of anyone else's..."

"Correct, Kagetora-san," Watari nodded, "Like I said, you simply don't argue with her, and after we heard the full history of her time with you guys, it's a good thing we didn't."

"It was her who carried Naoe-san's dying soul to the body of Tachibana Yoshiaki," Tatsumi continued, "and they were the one who forced the possession."

"They? As in Minako and Naoe?"

"No. Minako and Yoshiaki."

"EH?"

"Naoe-san had lost all will to live, remember? Kagetora's gone, he himself was in the darkest depression ever... Tachibana Yoshiaki were supposed to be born dead, but the soul itself were, well, special, in a way... so when Minako met Yoshiaki, Yoshiaki offered his body to host Naoe-san, and they forced the soul in. Apparently, Minako has perfect memory, and she remembered the spell Naoe-san used to drive her out. She taught it to Yoshiaki, and when they combined their powers, they managed to overwhelm Naoe-san and pushed him into that body, albeit against his will."

"..." The yashashuu looked at each other, completely dumbfounded.

"That explains his chronic depression..." Haruie sighed.

"What?" asked Nagahide and Takaya.

"Oh... you two wouldn't know, would you? Naoe himself never really told me anything, but Irobe-san told me that... well... he kind of regretted going to see Naoe some 6 or 7 years after the Nobunaga incident. "

"How so?" asked Takaya.

"Irobe came to Naoe to ask him if you answered his shinenha, Kagetora, which you didn't, of course. When he received yet another negative; he asked me before he asked Naoe; Irobe gave up and pronounced Kagetora dead. Naoe, all along, though, thought that you didn't answer him because you were still mad at him."

Kagetora shook his head, "I didn't know anything at that time! Damn, if you count the time, I wasn't even born yet!"

"We didn't know it at that time, do we? Well, in short, Naoe broke down. Kagetora, dead, is something he can't handle. He tried to kill himself at his family's temple, but his oldest brother, Teruhiro, interfered, that Naoe accidentally stabbed him instead. After that, he went catatonic for quite a while until a relative pulled him out of it, I assume that it's someone from the Sumeragi family, judging by what his mother said before."

"Perhaps... it's Subaru's grandmother, I think..." Nagahide nodded, "Then what happened?"

"After that, the depression fits didn't easily end, as revealed quite clearly hadn't he hid those scars under that big Rolex watch of his. That's why he said he never socialize at school, Kagetora. He entered the school community quite late because his parents decided to keep him home and pursue Buddhist teaching instead. After he was deemed level enough, then they let him go to school, and he kept on jumping classes until university. Which also explain why his family knows about the Yashashuu. Naoe must've told them, thinking that they'd cast him away if they knew he... killed their real son. After all, he'd accidentally hurt Teruhiro. Only they didn't. Instead, they showered him with unconditional love he craved for, and protect him as their own."

Takaya felt miserable. Even more depressed than he did before.

"He started doing his Yashashuu job after he turned fifteen, I think. He told me that one of the spirits his second brother, Yoshihiro, and his older sister, Saeko, had to vanquish one day was a Yami-Sengoku captain, that he just had to handle things by his own hands. Before that, he never used any Yashashuu technique, but because at that time there was only Irobe, as myself was too young to do anything, Kagetora pronounced dead, and Nagahide went missing, so he decided to rejoin the whole Yashashuu duty again. As soon as I was old enough to actually handle the business, I rejoined them. At that time, Irobe-san's health began to deteriorate. I was... at high school, I think, when Irobe-san did his next possession. So for a while, there were only the two of us out of the five Yashashuu. It was hectic."

Nagahide looked guilty, "Sorry about that."

Harie shook her head, "Don't worry, we, well, Naoe, understands your reasoning. I just wanted to hit you, but that's all in the past. Do you know that Naoe never stops looking for you?"

"I know," Nagahide grumbled, "There were so many time he came so close I had to elude him from time to time, he was so persistent."

"What can I say? Irobe asked him once, why he was so determined in looking for Kagetora and you, while both of you obviously didn't answer his shinenha. Naoe said that Kagetora-sama didn't answer his shinenha because maybe he can't, or won't, so he'd just have to look for him. As for you... he said he wanted to say thank you. For what, I don't know."

Nagahide lowered his head, "That fool... he just doesn't understand that it's natural for people to love him."

"Huh?"

Nagahide grinned, "Not like that, Kagetora. The whole Yami Sengoku knows that Naoe's love is only for his liege lord, Kagetora. What I mean is, the way he is... one can't help but to be annoyed by him yet loves him at the same time. I know I can't. Oh, I'm not always friends with him, and there are times when I want to throw him off the fifth floor, but he's family. That's why your fights with him is the worst to handle. You're also family, and at those times..." he looked at Haruie.

"It's hard to decide who hurts who, especially because in the end both of you got hurt anyway," continued Haruie, "But, as Irobe-san said, because Naoe is always in the passive side, meaning you do all the screaming and taunting and he'd just look at you blankly or lower his head, most of the time we ended up drawing you away from him, because he wouldn't want to be removed from your side, even if he hurts."

"The same with you," Nagahide smirked, "Whenever he got hurt, or sick, you'd refuse to stay by his side. You'd stay away from him, moping all the while, and when he finally got better and stay by your side again, you'd look at him haughtily and acted as if you don't care. If we didn't see how worried you were at those times you stayed away from him, we'd tend to believe it, as Naoe does..."

Takaya looked at Nagahide in askance.

"I really think he thought you don't care, Kagetora."

"Which explains his depression, yet again," concluded Watari, "Sandcastle. Hard to mold, easy to destroy. Build it wrong, and it won't be at all. Build it right, it's so plain you wonder why you want it. With the right sand texture, you can build a good one, but if the sand's too soft, or too hard, you can't mold it al all. Push too hard, you'd fracture the construction. But if it's not shaped strongly, it'll crumble. If you're not careful, it'd break apart, if you're too careful, it would never be done."

"Sounds like love to me," Tatsumi shrugged.

Watari nodded, looking at Tatsumi meaningfully, "Yes. Sounds like love."

Takaya, without knowing why, blushed.

"You're one lucky guy, Takaya," Yuzuru gave his best friend a brilliant smile, "To be loved like that, that's just beautiful..."

"I guess I am," Takaya raked his hand through his hair sheepishly.

"Now all you have to do is to make sure that love last forever," Miya grinned.

"Talking about love..." Nagahide interrupted, "Do you know what happened to Naoe? I mean, you said that Muraki had him."

"That's a guess, not fact," Watari said, "It's just that the only one who can actually hide someone from us shinigami is Muraki, and since we can't find Naoe-san..."

"Oh..."

It was another two hours when Subaru finally showed up at the break room with Kamui and Hokuto on either side of him, Seishirou in tow. With Seishirou came another man, a thin blond man who looked like just gotten out of bed.

"Ah, Sei-san. How's the reunion?" asked Watari.

"Considering that I have to share my Subaru-kun with his bubbly twin and his demanding Kamui, I've been better."

"Haha, Sei-chan, we waited for like hours in front of your door, and you still dare say we bother you," Hokuto looked hurt.

"Oh, well. Time for late introduction, I guess. Minna-san, this is Sakurazuka Seishirou, my partner in area six. That's Shirou Kamui, and that's Sumeragi Hokuto. The guy you haven't seen before is Kazuki Kakyou, our resident yumemi."

"Yumemi?" Takaya perked up.

"Easy there, Kagetora-san, we've tried to search Naoe-san through dreamscape before, it didn't work."

"Either his dreamscape is greatly weakened, or he managed to overpower my search system," said Kakyou, "Sorry, but I'll try again later."

"Well, we have to find Nobutsuna fast..." Hokuto said, "If he's really taken by Muraki..."

"Who knows what mad doctor will do to him..." Kamui continued.

"He might try to analyze his dreamscape..." Kakyou wondered.

"Or his being a kanshosha," added Subaru.

"Or he's just plain interested in him. I have to say, while Yoshiaki's gorgeous, Naoe-san's even more so," Seishirou sighed.

"Don't you say that in front of Ayako, Sei-chan, you sound like you want to molest the guy, you might get killed again," Hokuto said.

"Say, Naoe-san doesn't happen to have amethyst or jade eyes, right?" asked Watari offhandedly.

"Thankfully, no."

Takaya looked at Watari questioningly.

"Muraki has fetish on purple or green eyes on male legs," explained Tatsumi, "Or so we think."

"Oh..."

"Excuse me, are we interrupting?" a female voice, quite familiar, was heard from the doorway, and everyone looked at the newcomers.

The Yashashuu, Miya, Yuzuru, and Subaru were visibly startled.

There, by the door, stood their original souls.

"So, aren't you going to give me what I want?"

Naoe only looked at the doctor tiredly, his whole body too drained to make any vocal or body response at all.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, Muraki decipher his answer correctly.

"I see. Well... I guess I'll just have to try harder, eh?"

Naoe closed his eyes, surrendering to the inevitable, while concentrating on blocking the shinenha and dream wave he knew were sent to look for him.

They can't find him. They mustn't try to save him.

If they do...

The result...

Would be most unthinkable.

_Author's Note:_

_Hullo everyone._

_MadameDewi and sarahKurai told me that this is one of the most confusing chapter ever, and don't I know that._

_Sorry… _

_Hopefully there are still people who read this._

_Like always, all mistakes are solely mine, as I have no beta-reader available right now._

_Thanks for reading, hopefully more will come soon!_

Tenno Himekawa Rie 


	9. Chapter 8

_Here's Lamentation: Chapter 8_

_This is a crossover fic. You'll find people from other animes walking around, some merely passerby and some hold the key to the fic. But all in all, this is an MoB fic. The inserted characters happened because I don't know many people in MoB world..._

_sigh..._

_I've only watched the thirteen episodes of MoB, so I'm going to ignore everything that happened after (or before) that... I'll try not to ruin anything, though... _

_This happened a few weeks (or months) after the 'pier incident'... and after '99._

_R/R are greatly appreciated!_

Lamentation 

**Chapter 8**

**Regroup**

Never in her wildest dream had she thought that she'd see the one whom she gave her body to. She was in a lot of ways more like Takaya who never gives a damn about their kanshosha. That's why Yoshiaki fascinated her in the first place. The genuine love he has for his kanshosha is always as clear as day. Maybe because they're both yumemi, or maybe because Yoshiaki was in a way responsible of Nobutsuna's continued life. Or maybe because Yoshiaki's just too nice.

Shuhei was different. He gave his adult self to be possessed, so he knew what he was doing. She never understands why Shuhei didn't move on, but that's not her business. She herself also didn't understand why she didn't move on. All she knew, when that fateful day she passed through Nobutsuna's window with Hinageshi, who was her annainin at that time, the sight that greeted her made her believe that there's something that she must do for the two in the room.

What she saw was Nobutsuna, curling on his bed, crying himself to sleep, and Yoshiaki, sitting by the bed, futilely trying to offer comfort to the other, who couldn't even sense him.

So Ayako stayed.

"Ah, you've come. Yoshiaki, are you sure you're okay? You can always skip this meeting," said Watari, standing up.

"I've been worse, Watari-san, but thanks for your concern anyway."

Kagetora, Haruie, and Nagahide looked at the souls whose body they've taken unblinkingly.

"I'm going down again, see if there's anything the Tree can come up with. I'm taking Subaru-kun later on, he wants to list Imonoyama Nokoru's help, and maybe from the remaining dragons," said Seishirou.

"I'm going down too," said Kamui, "Kotori and I are going to try to do this on foot."

""I take it you'll be going with Sei-san, Hokuto-chan?" asked Watari.

"You betcha!"

"Very well. Sumeragi-san, if you want to go down now..." Tatsumi said, but Subaru shook his head.

"I want to know what's going on first."

"As you wish. Have you seen Tsuzuki-san and Kurosaki-kun?"

"We're here, Tatsumi," Tsuzuki appeared in front of the door with Hisoka.

"Okay there, bon?"

Hisoka nodded, "Hai, Watari-san."

"Well, we'll be going now. Bye!"

With that, Kamui, Seishirou, and Hokuto disappeared.

Kakyou took the nearest chair and sat down, Subaru taking the chair beside him. Tsuzuki and Hisoka also took their seats. The four shukutai took their chairs opposite to their kanshosha.

Silence.

"Oookay... this is awkward..." Tsuzuki commented.

"I believe an introduction is necessary? Shuhei, you're the cheeky one. You start," Watari said.

""I highly don't think it's necessary," Chiaki Shuhei smiled slightly, "We've known each other's names already, don't we? And Yasuda, I'm disappointed with you. All along, and you haven't managed to find a girlfriend yet?"

"Hey, don't blame me! Living as a yashashuu is a big deal, yanno? I just can't seem to settle in one place."

"And I was thinking that you'd already have a huge amount of stalker."

"The only two stalker I got are Naoe and Kousaka."

"I know. You had to use my body to elude him, remember? You owe me so much, Yasuda."

"I know, I know, Shuhei... and how many times must I tell you, don't call me Yasuda!"

"Okay, okay..."

"That's better."

Shuhei smirked, "So, Yasuda..."

"Aaaaargh!! I just can't stand you!"

"Too bad, you're stuck being me. That's my body you're using."

"Gah..."

"..."

"You two seemed acquainted already," Kadowaki Ayako smiled.

"Yeah, we're best pal before things got messed up."

"Are you saying we're not best pal anymore, Yasuda?"

"Shut up, Shuhei."

"Okay, Yasuda."

Haruie laughed, "Oh, Nagahide, look how far the mighty have fallen."

"Indeed," Ayako agreed.

The two looked at each other and both give a smile.

"Thank you, for allowing me to be you," Haruie said.

"Hey, no sweat! It's a pleasure, anyway."

"Well, my turn," said Ougi Takaya, "Hello, Kagetora, don't say thank you because, unlike Yoshiaki, I cared not whether you live or die, but it seems that my life and yours had become entangled yet again so now I want to make sure you managed this alive, all of you. And Miya-chan, you're a good girl, don't you get angry with Kagetora only because he uses my body, After all, he's the one who became your brother all these years, not me. Although I'd love to have an imouto like you," he grinned.

Miya giggled, "Oh, lookie, I got another brother!"

Kagetora looked at Takaya, who was grinning at him, and he felt years of burdens flew away from him. He didn't know what happened to the owners of the countless bodies he used before, but this one obviously forgives him for his sin, and it eases his heart.

"Thank you," he said, unnaturally subdued.

"Damn, I thought I told you not to say thank you!"

"I guess I'm the last," Tachibana Yoshiaki said softly.

Kagetora looked at him.

"It's okay, Kagetora-san. Nobutsuna's still alive. I can't sense where he is, but if he was cut loose from that body, I'd known."

"How?" asked Yuzuru.

"It's because that stubborn fool didn't want to possess the body I offered him. We had to lock him in."

"Lock him..."

"Yes," Yoshiaki smiled bitterly, "Even after that, he needs heavy maintenance. Honestly, I've never seen anyone so self-destructive before..."

"..."

"Well, back to main topic. Tachibana-san, why in the world did you collapse?" Tatsumi asked.

Yoshiaki sighed.

"Father Torabas, if you would please pray, for the one who had ease your pain..."

Father Matsunaga looked at the woman kneeling in front of the Maria Kwannon.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" he asked.

The woman lifted her face, and the priest was struck by her beauty.

She was not like the beautiful woman he'd seen in paintings, or like the pretty gals in magazine cover, or the attractive women who came to the church. Something in her eyes hit a chord in his heart, there's something ancient, something knowing, something wise in those eyes. Yet she looked so sad.

He'd seen this face before, but he couldn't remember where.

"What troubles you, child?"

She stood up, and a small smile graced her lips, "I just come to pray, Father."

"Something tells me you're not a Christian."

She laughed softly, "No, I'm not."

"So you come to pray to this Kwannon?"

"Not really..." she looked at the Kwannon, "Do you know the man who sent this Maria Kwannon, Father?"

"Yes, I do," Matsunaga's eyes lit up, "It has been quite a long time... Are you his friend?"

"I would very much like to be one, yes."

Matsunaga looked at the woman and something akin to fear stirred in him, "Something... something bad has happened to him, hasn't it?"

The woman looked at him.

"Is he okay? Tell me, if there's anything I can do..."

"Yes, there is..." she smiled, "Pray for him, Father. I came here because I wanted to ask for prayers."

"Yes, child, yes, I will pray for him. His name is Tachibana Yoshiaki, isn't it? I will ask the mass to pray for him. He has done a great deed, returning this Maria Kwannon to us. Are you sure there's nothing else you want us to do?"

"Maybe... Maybe I will need to borrow this Maria later on... but hopefully it won't come to that. And if you please, also pray for one named Naoe Nobutsuna."

"Naoe Nobutsuna. Yes. Tell me, are they... in trouble? Were they involved in an accident somewhere? Tachibana-san and Naoe-san, I mean?"

The woman sighed, "They're missing, Father."

"Then we will pray that they're found soon and in healthy condition, both physical and mental."

"Thank you, Father. I appreciate it."

"It's no trouble at all, child."

The woman turned to look at the Maria Kwannon, and her eyes softened," Oh, Maria..." She reached out, and wiped tears that fell rapidly on the Maria's cheeks, "We'll find him, I promise... we'll find him, and he'll be alright. He has so much to live for now, so very much, do you not think so? It's okay. Just pray for him."

Matsunaga was shocked. The Weeping Maria once again shed tears. He'd only heard stories of it, but never once since the Maria was set on the east pedestal had she cried. He could feel the change of all around him, and he could almost hear a choir of prayers rose in the air.

He humbly lowered his head and said a prayer of his own.

When he finished, he straightened, and the woman looked at him calmly.

"I will take my leave now, Father."

"Yes, go and find your friend, child. Our prayers are with you."

She nodded and walked away.

After she went out of the church, Father Matsunaga took the Maria from her pedestal, thinking that if he let her stood there, and anyone saw the Maria crying, she'd be something like a show for everyone. Might as well put her in a closed room.

As he cradled the Maria close, he saw her face, and realized where he'd seen the woman before.

She has a beautiful serene face similar to the Maria Kwannon.

"I'm not really sure what's going on..." Yoshiaki said, "I was watching him like usual, and he was getting out of the house to pick you up, Kagetora... and Muraki showed up."

"Oh, so it is Muraki," Tsuzuki muttered.

"Yes. He... did something that made Nobutsuna unconscious... I tried to reached out for him but something... slammed me... and then it was static. I can't locate him at all."

"But you can still feel him?" asked Watari.

"Well, it's static, but as long as the static still exist, he's still alive and still bound to my body. But he's not answering my call, or rather, I think he's blocking me out."

"He's trying to protect you," said Hisoka, "so Muraki won't get you."

"Perhaps. But if he won't answer us, we can't find him."

Yuzuru, meanwhile, was only half listening. He was busy taking notes on the physical appearance of the shukutai.

While they all wear the same face, they don't have the same fashion or appearance sense.

Chiaki Shuhei dressed in a khaki suit with a loose brown shirt under the jacket, which was thrown on the chair's back, his hair shortly cut. Ougi Takaya wore what Yuzuru would call SWAT Team uniform, all grey, and leather boots, and his dark hair fell everywhere, as if uncombed, and due to it's almost shoulder length, created a very rebellious appearance. Kadowaki Ayako's hair was long, so long that even after she braided and made a hair bun out of it, some long parts of it still fell down, cascading down her back. She wore what Yuzuru assumed a secretary outfit, light green in colour, and a dark green shawl was tied around her neck. Tachibana Yoshiaki wore blue T-shirt and black pants, ensembled with a belt, which carved in, Yuzuru noted amusedly, The Naoe Family Crest.

They don't look at the same age with their kanshosha either. Chiaki looked younger, around 17 or so, Takaya looked older, perhaps around 20, the same with Ayako, and Yoshiaki's definitely the oldest, but still younger than Naoe, who's somewhere in his late 20, almost thirty. He guessed him as around 25, perhaps younger.

"Yuzuru-kun, you're staring."

"Eh?" Yuzuru looked sheepish, "Sorry, Kadowaki-san, but..."

"I know, I know," Ayako laughed, "It's just weird. We feel the same way."

"No, actually... that's not it..."

"Oh?" asked Takaya, "What is it then?"

"I'm just wondering... why aren't you guys look... well... identical."

"Oh, that?" Shuhei laughed, "This is my age appearance when Yasuda took over. I'm stuck being this way, just like the Shinigami, who're stuck at the appearance when they die. The others, though, were babies when they were taken over, so they had the soul appearances their best age."

"Yeah. I've been like this for 19 years, and I'll be like this of many years to come unless I decide to move on," laughed Ayako.

"I see... So, there are no baby souls?"

"Baby souls go straight to heaven," said Watari.

"Oh... why didn't you move on, then?"

Ayako looked at Yoshiaki, who looked back with a smile. Shuhei laughed a little, while Takaya combed his messy hair with his fingers.

"Oh, waitaminute..." Nagahide looked surprised, "Do I detect love vibe here?"

Kakyou laughed, "Shuhei's been seeing a girl from another department. Takaya's currently smitten with Karen, the flirt of all shinigami. Yoshiaki and Ayako have been dating for like 2 years."

"Huh?"

"Really..."

"Oh my..."

"Whoa..."

"I see..."

"Surprised much?" asked Watari.

"Not really..." Haruie laughed, "Good to know our shukutai have happy love lifes."

"But... Yoshiaki and Ayako? It just doesn't wash," Nagahide shook his head. Kagetora nodded.

"Well, get used to it," Ayako smiled at Yoshiaki and grasped his fingers. He smiled back tenderly.

"Oh, we will..." Kagetora groaned.

"We're straying here, people..." Tatsumi noted, "Kuzuki-san, anything you can come up with from your dreamscape?"

"No. Like I said, I can't find him through the scapelink. But his control over the scape is not as good as mine... sooner or later, he'll stray there, even if he doesn't want to. Then I can catch him there."

"But, if he strayed into the dreamscape again, doesn't it mean that... well, he's running away again?" asked Subaru.

"Not necessarily," said Kakyou, "Hokuto came to and fro my dreamscape quite often before she died, she's not running away from anything."

"Oh... I never knew that my sister had the prospect of becoming a yumemi."

"So do you, Subaru-san. After all, you're twins."

"..."

"So, we're having a dead end here?" asked Yuzuru.

"What we know so far is that Muraki had kidnapped Naoe-san. But why? We don't know," concluded Tatsumi.

"Kousaka would know," Kagetora grumbled.

"I don't think so," said Nagahide, "Judging from his words to you, the guy's bluffing. Muraki's not any 'shelter' Naoe would 'visit' at anytime."

"Huh?"

"Oh, we haven't told you that, have we?"

"Excuse me, but..." Miya fidgeted, "do you have toilets here?"

"Oh, yes, of course. Just go out and turn left. The toilets are near the stairs."

"Thanks."

Miya closed the bathroom door and looked at the hallway lighted with lamps. It was almost morning, yet she didn't notice.

She shuffled her feet.

She's worried, that's for sure. She'd taken a liking to Yoshiaki-niisan, the man's calm and dependable, yet friendly and loving. That, and the fact that his love is shown so blatantly.

Miya smiled. She longed to have nieces and nephews from her brother, but she guessed that unless they adopt a child, or Yoshiaki-niisan turned into a girl, she'd never have one.

Then again, Yoshiaki-niisan can always use another body, right? But then, what would happen to Yoshiaki-niisan's body? Can Naoe-niisan just get out of the body, get a girl's body for nine months, give birth to a child, and return to Yoshiaki-niisan's body? Or would he just stay as a girl? After all, Haruie-neesan is also a girl. But will niichan still love Naoe-niisan if he's in a girl's body? And it would be quite a handicap, after all, a girl is not as strong as a man physically, and isn't Yoshiaki-niisan niichan's personal bodyguard?

Miya carefully massaged her forehead. All of those thinking made her head hurt.

"Are you okay?" asked a woman's voice, and Miya saw this long dark haired beautiful woman standing in front of her.

"Yeah, just a little headache."

"Oh... well, you should go back to where your brother is, Miya-chan. Honestly, whatever does Tatsumi-san think, letting you go out alone?"

"This is Meifu, right, and they're just in the break room there."

"Still... doesn't he remember that Muraki can penetrate Meifu?"

"He can?" asked Miya.

"Yes. No one knows how, but if he managed to do that before, he can do it again."

"Oh..." Miya scrunched her face. She doesn't want to be a hostage to weaken her brother's position. "I guess I'd better get back then."

"I'll accompany you. I have to report to Tatsumi-san anyway, and this meeting is long overdue."

Miya didn't ask what she meant by that. She simply walked into the room and opened the door, stepping in, the woman behind her.

"I'm back."

"Tatsumi-san! Why in the world did you let Miya-chan go out alone?"

"She's not exactly alone, Kitazato-san," Tatsumi answered, "I had her shadows watching over her."

"Well, Muraki can use those shadows to hurt you if he wants to. Don't do it again. You might get hurt stupidly."

"Actually, that's debatable."

"You used your shadows like a leash, Tatsumi-san. If he sent an electric wave through the link, so to say, you're the one who'll get shocked."

"Hopefully it won't come to that," Tsuzuki shivered, " I don't want him to hurt anyone else."

"That is beyond your control, Tsuzuki," Hisoka said.

"Why in the world does he want to hurt people anyway?" Watari grumbled.

"He's sick, that's all."

"Actually, I disagree," Kitazato said, "Even demons has reasons to be one. Sakurazukamori is considered villain, but we still accept him in our rank."

"If you take Muraki into one of Meifu's ranks, I'm outta here," said Hisoka.

"Me too," said Tsuzuki.

"Don't worry, it won't come to that. Before he even got close to being employed, I know one certain person who'd make sure he's sent on to judgment before he could do anything," Kitazato smiled.

"Yeah. Hakushaku-sama. Damn, Venus, but you have him under your little finger," Watari whistled.

"More luck for me," said Tsuzuki, "Thanks, Venus."

"You're most welcome, Tsuzuki-san."

Kagetora sat still, his face stricken. The other two Kanshosha had almost the same expression on their face.

Kitazato Minako looked at them calmly, "Hello, Haruie-san, Nagahide-san."

Kagetora paled.

Minako nodded towards him, "It's been a long time, Kagetora-san."

"..."

"I believe we shall take our leave," the four shukutai stood up and shuffled out of the room, "We'll be... er... scouting... Bye!" Shuhei shut the door.

"I believe we'll do the same..." Kakyou said as he looked at Subaru, who nodded.

"Can anyone take me to where Seishirou-san is now?"

"I'll take you to him, "Watari said, standing up, Tatsumi followed suit.

"I'll be in my office."

"Just a moment, Tatsumi-san," Minako said, "I've finished area two, still no sign of Muraki, but I've gone to see the Maria Kwannon. She promised to help us, should it's needed."

"Good. Now, I believe you guys have lots to talk about. I'll see you all later."

Kakyou had long left the room, Watari took Subaru's arm and both disappeared. Tatsumi gave a bow and left the room, shutting the door behind him with a soft click.

"Found anything?"

Kotori shook her head, "I tried to search as far as I could."

"I can't find anything either."

"Sei-san?"

"No news as of yet. None from Sorata and Karen either."

"Where do you think he hides Naoe-san?" Kotori sighed.

"Well, he seemed to like Tokyo and Kyoto, and Tsuzuki-san first encountered him at Nagasaki... But he could be anywhere, really."

"I hope he's okay... But knowing what Muraki did to Hisoka and Tsuzuki..."

"I wonder why he does that."

"Mm? How so?"

"Eh..." Kamui plopped down beside her, sipping his soda, "Being a Kamui made me wonder about the reason behind everything. I mean, look at Sei-san. He's a cold-blooded bastard, but you just can't help but to feel pity on him, after all, it's the only way he knows how to live... and if you looked at Subaru and him today..."

"Ah..." Kotori smiled, "Still feel jealous?"

"Me? No. I have you, don't I? But Subaru has no one..."

"Maybe we can hook him up with my brother."

"And risk Sei-san kill Fuuma? I don't think so."

Kotori giggled.

"I just can't help thinking that Armageddon was nothing but a waste of life, Kotori."

This time, she nodded, "I feel the same way, Kamui. But there are some things that are beyond our sight. But one thing is for sure..."

"Kotori?"

Kotori looked at him, "Everything happen for a reason, Kamui. Hadn't we died, we would've missed everything about Meifu, and we wouldn't be here to help the yashashuu today. Hadn't Armageddon happened, Subaru and Sei-san might still be bitter enemies. Hadn't Kakyou died, he wouldn't be here with Hokuto today. Hadn't Sei-san killed Hokuto, Subaru would never know Naoe-san. In a more extreme example, hadn't Muraki killed Hisoka, he'd never meet Tsuzuki."

Kamui looked back at her, "Kotori... that's just disturbing."

Kotori nodded solemnly, "I know."

The last time Takaya saw Minako through his own sets of eyes, well, Kagetora did, it wasn't Takaya yet at that time, was when they were surrounded by the Kyuryoku Kekkai, and he was in Naoe's arms, Kazahara at that time. The next thing he knew, he saw Minako's face when he looked into a mirror.

He could still remember the pain, the sadness, and the anger at that time. Some would say it's directed to Naoe, while actually it's directed toward himself.

But no one knew. No one understands.

Minako knew. She knew of his... obsession... toward Naoe, and vice versa. She had tried to remove herself from him, but he'd have none if it. Now, after 30 years gone by, he found himself questioning, did he really love Minako, or was she just an outlet of his desire for a moment of peace? Did he keep him by his side because he needed her, or because he wanted to see how Naoe suffered in jealousy? He knew that he'd pushed Naoe too hard, yet he kept on going. Wouldn't that make the incident whereas Naoe raped Minako his fault? Or did he see Naoe as an outlet of his own anger, the reflection of the people who raped him oh so long ago?

The questions have been barging his head for like months ever since Tsutsuga, and today, actually meeting the person of his questions...

Naoe's nightmare... of him and Minako...

There's no way around it. He had to tell her.

"Please, don't hate Naoe."

Minako looked at him, smiled, and shook her head.

"No, you don't understand, you can't hate him. It's not his fault... well... not entirely his fault... but..."

She chuckled softly, "If I hate him, Kagetora, or rather, Takaya, I wouldn't be here right now."

"Oh..." Takaya said meekly, "Do you hate me, then?"

This time, she laughed, "No. I don't"

"..."

"I, for one, understand yours, and his, reasons more than anyone else. I will have to talk to you personally later, but not now. Now is time for work."

"Minako..." Nagahide hesitated, "They said you saved Naoe."

"I couldn't bear to see him killed, or kill himself, to be more precise."

"Why didn't you save Kagetora instead?" asked Haruie.

"Kagetora was safe. Naoe was not. It was more of a priority, really."

"If you had to chose," asked Miya suddenly, "Between helping my brother and Naoe-niisan, who would you save, Kitazato-san?"

Minako looked at her calmly, "It's either I save them both or I saved none. One can't live without the other anyway."

Miya nodded, "I like you."

Minako laughed, "I'm honoured, Ougi-san."

"Please, just call me Miya. Can I call you Minako-neesan?"

"Why not? You can always refer me as Venus, though, that's how most Juohcho call me."

Takaya looked at his sister disbelievingly.

"What? I'm your sister. I can be as stubborn as you if I want to."

"Don't we all know it," Yuzuru chuckled.

"I thank you, Narita-san, for being there with Takaya when he needs friend," Minako said softly.

"Just call me Yuzuru. And it's nothing, really. Takaya helps me a lot, too."

"Treasure that feeling, Yuzuru. When times get rough and things change, treasure that friendship. It's the only way things can end well."

Yuzuru looked at Minako, who gazed at him sadly. He nodded. He didn't understand, but it was a good advice.

"And now, about Naoe. I haven't managed to find anything, as I've reported to Tatsumi-san, but I think you guys would like to search on your own, right?"

Everyone nodded.

"Very well. I will ask Tatsumi-san to assign a shinigami for each two of you, I assume that Yuzuru will be with Nagahide-san, and Miya-chan will be with Haruie-san?"

"Yes, and please drop the -san. It's just... weird..." Haruie said.

"Yeah, I agree..." Nagahide grumbled, "It make me feel so old..."

"I have news for you, Nagahide. You are old. You're the second oldest in the Yashashuu."

Takaya chuckled, "Minako, your sense of humour is still as plain as ever."

"Really. I'll be going with you, Takaya. There are things I need to speak to you, alone."

Takaya, without really knowing why, gulped.

"Good luck," Miya whispered.

"Why are we going to a church?"

"I need to take something... Oh, Father!"

Father Matsunaga looked at the two visitors and his face brightened, "Good morning, child! Have you had any information on Tachibana-san?"

"No, Father, we haven't. I'm sorry I forgot to introduce myself earlier. I am Kitazato Minako, this is my friend, Ougi Takaya."

"It's a pleasure meeting you, Father."

"The pleasure is all mine, children. I am Father Matsunaga. Tell me, how may I assist you today?"

"Well, do you remember what I said earlier, about my borrowing the Maria Kwannon?" asked Minako.

"Oh, yes, do you need her now?"

"If it's no trouble for you..."

"No, it's not. If she truly can aid your search, she'll be better in your hands. After all, she wouldn't stop crying after you left..."

"Oh..." Minako stopped, "Maybe I shouldn't have come here..."

"I think it's a good thing you came, child. Wait here, I shall wrap her up for you."

With that, Father Matsunaga scurried away.

"Maria Kwannon?"

"When he was still in his early 20, Naoe, or rather, Yoshiaki, returned a Maria Kwannon to this Uragami Cathedral. He got it from an acquaintance. It once belonged to a priest, Father Torabas, who was a converted Christian, but it seems that although he was said to have been converted, he stayed in his faith until he died. The Maria Kwannon, was, in a way, his atonement. The Maria cried tears in his place, perhaps a cry for redemption. It was Naoe who brought her to Uragami and finally helped released that regret etched in her. But, unknown to him, from that day on, the Maria had a life of its own, a life that was created because of the accumulation of prayers of the spirits here when they felt Naoe's grief."

"Huh? A crying Maria Kwannon? And now it's like Naoe's Guardian Angel?"

"Well, not really, considering that it's not animated... but the pseudo-spirit's definitely there."

"And we can use this how?"

"Well, the spirit is attuned to Naoe's spiritual signature, so maybe, just maybe, she can sense him more than we could."

"Oh, really?"

Minako smiled.

Father Matsunaga came, bringing a box wrapped in white cloth and handed it to Minako.

"It's very careless of you, Father…" Minako smirked, an expression that made Takaya tilted his head, "Giving THE Maria Kwannon to a complete stranger."

"Give me your name and you won't be a stranger anymore."

The smirk changed. Minako shook her head and smiled a more well-remembered smile.

"Kitazato Minako. This is Ougi Takaya."

"Kitazato-san… Minako-san…" Father Matsunaga looked at the two, "Please, appease her grieving heart… cease her tears…"

"I understand, Father."

And with that, she turned away, the box held securely in her arms.

Takaya had no choice but to follow.

"Let's find a restaurant," Minako said when they were outside, "I think…"

Takaya looked at her.

"I think there are a lot of things we need to talk about…"

He nodded.

"Yes. There are."

Kousaka Masanobu sat quietly in a small café. He felt horribly…

Scared…

Something was wrong.

Muraki miscalculated something, that, Kousaka's sure, but he simply couldn't get what, and why it was bothering him.

Naoe was asleep. No dreams. That's good. At least he got a time to rest.

Again, Kousaka found himself asking his motives. If it really worth it all.

No answer came to him.

TBC 

_Author's Note:_

_Another chapter posted. No long notes for now. Working on next chapter… and it'll be longer than 10 chapters._

_DEFINITELY longer._

_Like always, all mistakes are solely mine, as I have no beta-reader available right now._

_Thanks for reading, hopefully more will come soon!_

Tenno Himekawa Rie 


	10. Chapter 9

_Here's Lamentation: Chapter 9!_

_This is a crossover fic. You'll find people from other animes walking around, some merely passerby and some hold the key to the fic. But all in all, this is an MoB fic. The inserted characters happened because I don't know many people in MoB world..._

_sigh..._

_I've only watched the thirteen episodes of MoB, so I'm going to ignore everything that happened after (or before) that... I'll try not to ruin anything, though... _

_This happened a few weeks (or months) after the 'pier incident'... and after '99._

_R/R are greatly appreciated!_

Lamentation 

**Chapter 9**

**Guilt-Tripping**

They found a small café near the church, and took a remote table.

Belatedly, Takaya realized that he'd had no money on him (he left his wallet at home), and Minako giggled as he embarrassedly told her that.

"I'll pay for you this time," she said.

They ordered two cups of coffee, and, as soon as they sat down, Minako put the box on the table, unwrapped it, and opened the lid.

The Maria Kwannon laid there serenely.

Astonished, Takaya looked at the Maria Kwannon, and then at Minako.

And Maria.

And Minako.

"Is something wrong, Takaya-san?"

"No…" Takaya shook his head, "It just something Watari-san said…"

Minako didn't push. She simply sighed and propped the Maria standing on the box.

"Naoe… helped this Maria?"

"You're together now, right? Why are you still calling him with his surname?"

"Eh…" Takaya stuttered, "Habit?"

"Thought so," Minako shrugged.

Takaya lowered his eyes.

"Takaya… I don't hate Naoe."

Silence.

"You should," Takaya said softly, "What he did to you…"

"Was unforgivable, yes, but I forgave him all the same."

"Why?"

"Because I felt his pain."

"…"

"You know that Kurosaki-kun is an empath, right?"

Takaya nodded.

"I'm also an empath. Though not up to his level yet, my power, even when I was still alive, was more controlled."

"Empath… they can feel what people feel, right?"

"Yes. True Empath could only feel, but telempath like Kurosaki-kun could also read mind, not just feeling. I'm a true empath. I can only feel, I can't take a peek into someone's head."

"But everyone said that you're… well… ordinary… It was only when I was… in your body… that I…"

"Like I said, Takaya, I can control my power at will."

"…"

"That night… Naoe…"

"Maybe we shouldn't talk about this," Takaya hurriedly said, but Minako shook her head.

"You should know. That night, he was drunk, yes, but at the same time, not at all sane."

"Don't we know it."

"No, we don't. At least, we thought he's obsessed with you, hard enough to the point of insanity, but that night…"

"I really think…"

"Yumemi has a tendency to create double personality,"

"What?" Takaya gawked.

"One of the four known Yumemi, Hinoto-san, had another personality created in her due to her constant using the dreamscape and her… helplessness. While Hinoto-san wanted to save the world, the other Hinoto wanted to destroy it."

"Are you saying that Naoe had a split personality?"

"We all know it, don't we?" Minako looked at Takaya straight, "He protects you, yet he wanted to hurt you, at the same time he's the one who hurts the most when you got hurt, because he loves you so much, so very much that he hates you, yet he's also the one who'd stay by your side, who'd patch you up together after each initiated pain. People see it like an ongoing game. You hurt him, he hurts you, and the game continues on. I, though…"

Takaya looked back at her.

"That night, I felt two very different entities. One, was the one who violated me. Two, was…"

Minako stopped.

Takaya waited.

"The other one… was a being so immersed in sadness, that I could do nothing but cry in his expense."

"…"

"Naoe was not all sane, yes. He's succumbing in grief, in tears, in helplessness… yet he has to be strong, be wise, be cool, be smart… There's a limit of what one can handle, and that night, due to a reason unknown by me, he snapped, and I was there."

Takaya closed his eyes.

"The next morning… When he realized what he'd done… his guilt, his shame, his fear, his sorrow, his absolute hatred toward himself…"

Minako took a small sip from her cup.

"There's no way he'd forgive himself. I, though, forgave him. I was prepared to just forget it, to hypnotize myself into believing that it was only a nightmare and that's it, but then I found out that I was pregnant with his child. That, created another set of problems."

"You didn't tell me," Takaya said bitterly.

"It was a battlefield, Takaya… Honestly, I fear that you'd just exorcise Naoe, and he wouldn't even fight you, so I'd lose him, my child's father, and then I'd lose you too, because you simply can't live without him by your side. Then there would be no Yashashuu to deal with Yami Sengoku, and the world will end. No, I couldn't risk it. I was actually thinking of waiting for awhile, and hopefully, when everything had calmed down, and we had won, I could tell you… but…"

"But then Naoe just had to put me in you."

"Mind you, he saved your life by doing so," Minako smiled softly.

"Minako!" Takaya hissed, "He raped you, and then he killed you!"

"I know, Takaya… My reasons can never be understood by anyone else, not even by the other shukutai, and certainly not by you… But I'm an empath, I FEEL his emotions, his soul. You don't."

Minako sighed, "He hurts, Takaya. And at the same time, you hurt! Nagahide was right… We should've just exorcised the both of you and let the world be damned. But Naoe wouldn't allow that."

"Ha?"

"He put a kekkai on your soul, don't you know that? If someone exorcise you, it'd be him who got exorcised."

"WHAT????!!!"

"Oh, so you really don't know…"

"When was that?!"

"His second possession, he told me."

"Gods… He did that?"

Minako nodded.

"After the battle… your soul went missing, just like that, and Naoe… Keeping his soul together was an effort, and I had to elude four shinigami. It was quite a long time I tried to escape them, and I stumbled upon Yoshiaki."

"Naoe's shukutai."

"Yes. The idea was Yoshiaki's, really… sealing Naoe in his body…and even after that, he gave Yoshiaki quite a lot of problems. High maintenance, indeed."

"So I've heard…"

Minako looked at Takaya, "But Naoe turned out okay, at least, thanks to the Tachibana family. We owe them so much, Takaya…"

"Yes, we do. I…"

Minako's cellphone rang, and she picked it up.

"Moshi-moshi, Kitazato desu."

She frowned.

"Right away," she said flippantly. She flipped her cell off and laid the Maria in the box before pulling out her wallet.

"Wrap her up, Takaya. We're going back to Meifu, now."

"Eh?"

We might have a lead."

"We've felt Nobutsuna," Kakyou said without preamble.

"Really? Where?" Takaya asked fast.

"It's only a second, so it's not clear," regretted Yoshiaki, "But one thing's for sure. We have to find him fast."

"..."

"He's in pain. That much I've felt."

Takaya slumped on a sofa, his face in his hands.

"Niichan..." Miya hugged him tight.

Minako put the Maria Kwannon on the table, "We have a linker, but it's not strong enough, I've tried."

"Damn..." Yoshiaki bit his lip.

"Okaachama..."

Minako turned around to see a cute girl around five years old standing in front of the opened door, dressed in nightgown, a blue teddy bear in her arms.

A smaller version of Minako.

"Megumi!" Minako started, "What are you doing here?"

"Megu can't sleep... Otouchama keeps on crying, so Megu can't sleep..."

Minako's eyes widened as she swept the child up into her arms, "Megu... did you say you felt Otouchama?"

"Hai," the girl sobbed, "Bad man hurt Otouchama real bad, Otouchama was so scared..."

"Oh, Megu..." Minako held her tight, "How long have you felt this?"

"Don't know. Since morning, maybe."

"Did you try to call him?"

"Yes, but he wouldn't answer. Megu knows Otouchama heard Megu. Megu also heard Yoshiaki-niichan and Kakyou-niichan but Otouchama won't answer them too."

Tatsumi thought fast, "Kitazato-san... can Megumi link up to where Naoe-san is?"

"Maybe," said Minako.

"Very well then, we use the Maria as linker. As soon as we know his location, Sakurazuka and I will teleport there."

"Take me with you," said Yoshiaki.

"No, it's too dangerous. You don't have enough firepower," Watari said, "I'll go, he might need my expertise."

"We tried the linker before, it won't work without physical recognition," said Minako, "unless we have anything physical from Naoe current host, a hair, a nail..." she stopped.

"What?" asked Takaya.

"Takaya... have you had sex with him?"

"WHAT!?"

"With Naoe. Have you had sex with him?"

"No!"

"Damn..."

Nagahide sweatdropped, "Minako, I fail to see the connection between them having sex and this."

"But you have kissed him, right?" Minako pressed on.

"Minako, you're holding a child there..." Haruie stammered.

"Have you?"

"Well, yes..."

"Was it hot enough?"

"MINAKO!"

"Answer me!"

"Yeah..."

"Did you french-kiss him, or rather, did he french-kiss you?"

"Uh..."

"Did he?"

"YES! Your point being?" Takaya was blushing as red as a tomato.

Minako didn't answer, instead, she gave the child in her arms to Takaya.

"Listen, Megu, this man is Otouchama's loved one, do you remember what Okaachama told you about Kagetora-sama?"

"He's the one Otouchama loves the most."

"Yes. Now, this is the Lord Kagetora. He can help you find Otouchama's place right now. Here, hold this," she took the teddy and replaced it with the Maria Kwannon, "This is the Maria Otouchama helped, she can help you find the link."

"So, Megu finds Otouchama?"

"Yes. There's a trace of Otouchama's physical self with Kagetora-sama. Find it, and link it through Maria. When you find him, Tatsu-nii, Sei-nii, and Tari-nii will get Otouchama, and we can keep him safe and warm here. Can you do it, Megu?"

"Hai."

"Kagetora-san okay?"

Takaya looked at the small girl in front of him and smiled softly.

"Yeah…"

"Here, you hold teddy! He'll make you feel better!"

Wordlessly, Takaya took the teddy, and the little girl scrambled up onto his lap.

"Don't worry! Tari-nii is a very good doctor! He'd patch up Otouchama in no time!"

Takaya looked at her.

"Megu fell off a cliff one day, and forgot how to fly, but Tari-nii patched Megu so well, there was no scar left!"

Takaya refrained from asking how the hell could she fall off a cliff, and if she really could fly, and how could she forget how to, and all the questions in his head. In his eyes, he could only see Nobutsuna, wrapped in Watari's green coat, bleeding all over the lounge.

It was only a second, as Watari took him away, teleporting to God Knows where, and then Yoshiaki led them to this room, and said they could wait there.

Another waiting room.

Somehow, it felt so disturbingly ironic.

Miya was asleep, her head on Minako's shoulder. Haruie and Nagahide took random chairs, and Yuzuru was on another sofa.

It was so hauntingly familiar.

"Megumi, don't bother Takaya-san," Minako called the little girl, who hugged Takaya instead.

"Megu's not a bother!"

"No, you're not," Takaya said, hugging the little girl back.

She beamed.

"Your name's Megumi, right?"

"Yup. Kazahara Megumi!"

Haruie and Nagahide looked at the girl, then at Minako, who shrugged.

"Oh…" Takaya looked at her searchingly.

She looked at him trustingly.

"Otouchama won't leave you, Kagetora-sama," she said without doubt. "He won't leave you."

"Yeah…" Takaya choked. He was being assured by a five-years-old!

She hugged him harder.

Minako smiled.

Haruie remembered her smile. It was an expression constantly stayed on her face, a smile so serene and calm. Her eyes would see everything, miss nothing, and she'd gave that smile so harmlessly, so touching…

That was why Kagetora turned to her. Because she had the redeeming quality Naoe lacked of. That was why Naoe couldn't really hate her. Because her smile calmed his heart.

Had Kagetora never felt anything other than sibling love toward Minako, the tragedy 30 years before would never happen…

And the child in Takaya's arms would never exist.

Nagahide, too, was watching. Megumi, the little angel, was truly a small version of Minako. There's no trace of the Kazahara features in her.

Nagahide leaned over to Minako, and whispered softly.

"Had that child been born, no one would be able to discern who her father was. Maybe Kagetora would even think she's his own."

"Assuming I managed to drag him to bed within her first month…" Minako whispered back, "Which I didn't."

"Don't tell me you never thought about it."

Minako shrugged, "It crossed my mind."

"Thought so."

The door opened, and Watari stepped out.

"Kagetora-san, would you like to see him?"

Megumi slid off his lap and Takaya stood up, "Yes."

"Go right in."

Takaya, for lack of better word, ran into the room.

Nagahide looked at the blond scientist who closed the door softly.

"How is he?" Haruie asked.

"He'll be okay. Muraki didn't hurt him too much. Physically, at least."

"Mentally?" asked Minako.

Watari grinned, "Mentally, Naoe-san's more dangerous than Muraki. And a lot more disturbed. And way more devoted."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning, he's okay. He'll heal faster, too. Don't ask me why. Muraki accidentally triggered something he shouldn't have. Like what he almost did with Tsuzuki."

"Ara…" Minako shook her head, "By the way, what did you do to him? Muraki, I mean?"

"Mm…" Watari frowned, "nothing, considering the madman wasn't even there. We kinda destroy the lab, though…"

"After you hacked the data, I'm sure?"

"What data? Venus, there was only a table, which Naoe-san was strapped on."

"… So what did you wreak?"

"Several layers of kekkai."

"Oh…"

"Tari-nii…"

Watari looked at the little girl and bent down, lifting her into his arms.

"Otouchama okay?"

"Yes, Megu. Otouchama's okay."

"Good!" Megu threw her arms, hugging Watari, and slid out of his arms, jumping down smoothly, "I'm telling Kazusa!"

"Run along then."

And off the girl went.

"So… Have we known why Muraki took Naoe?" asked Haruie.

Watari looked uncomfortable, "Yes, we have.

"Baka! Stay still!"

Takaya hurried over when he saw Naoe tried to sit down.

"I'm fine, Takaya… really…"

"No, you're not…" Takaya frowned, looking at Naoe's bandaged body.

"I'm talking, aren't I?"

"Your definition of fine is always not fine."

Naoe smiled slightly, "Sorry…"

"Whatever for?"

"I didn't pick you up from school."

Takaya shook his head, "You're here. That's all that's matter."

Naoe frowned. He reached out to touch Takaya's face.

"Takaya?"

Takaya grasped Naoe's hand and kissed the fingers softly, "I though I lost you again…"

"Actually… you almost did…" Naoe closed his eyes, shivering slightly.

"What did he do to you?" Takaya's voice was hard.

"I think it'd be easier to answer if you asked me what he didn't do to me instead…"

"Tsuna…"

Naoe opened his eyes, a smile bloomed on his face, "I like that."

"What?"

"You, calling my name. I held on to that. When he… toyed with me… I held on to that. You voice."

"Tsuna…"

"Stay with me?"

"Eh?"

"I know I'm supposed to be your guard, not the other way around, but just this once, just this once… please… stay with me?"

Takaya almost choked.

Naoe was looking at him tiredly, and was that fear he saw in his eyes?

What did Muraki do?

Takaya wasn't sure he wanted to know.

"I'll be okay after this, but… just this once… please? I'll keep you safe again after this, but now, I…"

Naoe was at loss of words.

Takaya had to bit back a bitter smile.

"You're only human, Naoe… You're not a superman…"

_Naoe was not all sane, yes. He's succumbing in grief, in tears, in helplessness… yet he has to be strong, be wise, be cool, be smart… There's a limit of what one can handle, and that night, due to a reason unknown by me, he snapped, and I was there._

"I won't let you fall."

Naoe looked at him.

Takaya looked back with calm assurance in his eyes.

"I know you're my bodyguard. But you're also on of my men. Not to mention that you're the one I happened to love. You protect me because it's your duty. I can protect you, too."

_If not, Naoe-niisan will end up guarding your ass all the time; maybe he'd even lose his life protecting you. I won't let that happen. You have to be stronger, niichan, I know you're the younger one here, but you're the leader, right? You have to be stronger, so your people won't have to watch over you all the time. How can you protect your loved ones if you can't even protect yourself?_

"I can be strong, too, Tsuna. I know I don't act it most of the time, but I'm not a damsel in distress. I can protect myself. I may only have half memory, but it's enough for me. You've been guarding me all along. I thank you for that. Now let me return the favor."

Naoe looked at his liege lord and lover, astonished.

"Mad doctor wanted something from you. I know he did. He wouldn't capture you if he didn't. You, on the other hand, could block out all shinenha and dream wave we sent, and there were like more than six of us, while taking direct torture at the same time. Don't tell me Muraki didn't hurt you bad, I know he did. You wouldn't be so skittish if he didn't."

Tiredly, Naoe nodded.

Takaya looked at his lover silently, weighing his option. Naoe looked okay, but tired. What going on in his mind, though….

Naoe was a master of poker face. He knew that. He knew what Naoe hid under the serene smile and calm face. He didn't before. Not anymore.

What he'd give to have a small portion of Minako's, or Hisoka's, power…

"Can I climb in?"

Naoe nodded.

Takaya toes his shoes off, and climbed onto the bed, slipping under the blanket, carefully making sure he could hold Naoe without hurting him.

Naoe, to his surprise, snuggled closer.

"You said I could be weak for now," Naoe's voice trembled.

"Yes, S'okay. I'll be your support. You can break down all you want."

"I won't," Naoe whispered, "I won't break down. I just need to rest for awhile."

"Then rest. Sorry if I smell like sewer, though. Haven't taken a bath since yesterday morning."

"You searched for me in the sewers?"

"Are you kidding me? We searched all over for you. We turned the world upside down, you know…"

"I know…" Naoe sighed, "You've found me, didn't you? Even when I tried to hide."

"Yeah… we've found you… I've found you…"

"I heard you call… All of you… even voices I didn't know…"

Takaya nodded.

Naoe drifted off to sleep.

Takaya kept looking at him. Making sure his chest still rose and fell.

What will tomorrow has in store, he thought sullenly. What ever it is, he won't let Naoe shatter.

If he breaks…

Takaya doesn't know what to do to put the pieces back together.

Naoe had been bedridden twice already after that day when Tachibana-san called him to Matsumoto Hospital.

Actually…

What was Naoe doing at Matsumoto at that time?

Minako heard the soft footsteps behind her.

She didn't look back.

She simply knelt there, in front of the newly returned Maria Kwannon.

Somebody knelt beside her, gathering his fingers in prayer.

"Is he okay?"

"No. But he'll mend. He has Takaya beside him, now."

"I'm glad."

"I'm sure."

Silence.

"You're angry."

"You knew where he was."

"No, I didn't."

"You knew Muraki took him."

"Yes, I did."

"You didn't try to get him back."

"And fight Mad Doctor? I'm manipulative, not stupid."

"You could've helped."

"Kagetora won't accept it."

"He did before, after Tsutsuga. He trusts you to a length."

"Does he really…?"

"You shouldn't have baited him…"

"No, I shouldn't have."

Minako stood up, her eyes blazed as she looked at the other person.

"I don't know what game you're playing, but those are my friends you're using as chess pieces. I won't let you hurt them anymore. You almost destroyed everything 30 years ago. I won't let you do so now."

"So you know…"

"I guessed," Minako bit, "The only ones who could get close enough to break Naoe's emotional restrain was Kagetora, Nobunaga, and you. Nobunaga broke him to pieces after the night he violated me, Kagetora burned him to ashes with his I-won't-forgive-you-for-eternity statement. But before that, the one who taunted him to insanity… it was you."

"And I regret that."

"You should. "

"But we need his powers awakened! If we're to end Yami Sengoku…"

"Who do you think you are? An angel sent from above, the one who'd end all the misery?"

Silence.

"You're not. And what you did… you brought more tears than smile."

"…Sorry won't pay it, I guess…"

"No, it won't."

"… I'm sorry…"

Minako sighed, "Forget it. Just make sure you THINK before you mess up anyone else's life yet again."

She turned away.

"Keep in touch, Kitazato-san. Please. At least tell me how Naoe and Kagetora are."

"No promise, Kousaka-san."

She disappeared.

Kousaka Masanobu looked at the Maria Kwannon on her pedestal, and prayed that he won't make any other stupid moves anymore.

"When will we get all the Yashahuu complete?"

"Naoe-san heals fast. He'll be okay for the meeting tomorrow."

"The other Yashashuu?"

"Well, we've got them all, now."

"Although this is so rule-bending."

"It makes things work. It's okay."

"What about Kitazato-san?"

"Venus will stay. You can't get rid of her, anyway."

"And the young shukutai?"

"I think they can return to their posts for now. But they must be ready for back up."

"What about Shirou and Monou? Sumeragi and her partner, Kuzuki?"

"Back up, ready at call."

"Sakurazuka?"

"He's my partner. He stays. Besides, with Subaru around, I think he'll stay."

"Tsuzuki and Kurosaki?"

"Also back up. Mad Doctor's involved, remember?"

"Aa… that'll do for now. Tatsumi, you handle the reconnaissance."

"I understand."

"Make sure all involved are there. The four shukutai, Kitazato, Tsuzuki, Kurosaki, the five kanshosha, and the both of you."

"What about Miya-chan and Narita-kun?"

"Let them stay. We may need their help.

"Very well."

TBC 

**Some author's note:**

_Hullo, another post is here! Hopefully it won't get boring, the story…_

_CHAPTER 6 (addition by request)_

_I made Nagahide as a teacher due to a reason will be revealed later._

_CHAPTER 7_

_Sumeragi Hokuto is Subaru's twin sister. She was killed by Sakurazuka Seishirou when she's 16. Seishirou happened to be the one who's involved in a love-hate relationship with Subaru. At the first kekkai-battle, Subaru killed Seishirou at Rainbow Bridge (well, not really…) For better info, just read X manga version (although the version I assimilate in this fic is the anime TV series version)._

_Shirou Kamui is Tenno Ryu no KAMUI, making him Subaru's KAMUI. _

_Monou Kotori is Monou Fuuma's sister, whom he killed when the DARK KAMUI personality was awaken inside him._

_Kannuki Wakaba is Terazuma Hajime's partner, one of the Shinigami partners. The partners for this story are: Watari Yutaka-Sakurazuka Seishirou, Tsuzuki Asato-Kurosaki Hisoka, Tatsumi Seiichirou-Kitazato Minako, Ougi Takaya-Tachibana Yoshiaki, Chiaki Shuhei-Kadowaki Ayako, Shirou Kamui-Monou Kotori, Sumeragi Hokuto-Kuzuki Kakyou._

_Chapter 8_

_I change Kousaka Danjou to Kousaka Masanobu. I've just realized that DANJOU is his title, not name. _

_Some people asked why Minako introduced herself (and Takaya) twice to Father Matsunaga, and they wondered if it's a mistake…No, it's not._

_The second time Minako gives her name, It's in conjunction to what Father Matsunaga says, _"Give me your name and you won't be a stranger anymore."

_The Maria Kwannon is a sacred relic, something that not everyone can take at will, but by some kind of agreement (be it written or said, and with at least one witness) she can borrowed. Here, Father Matsunaga is the caretaker, Minako is the borrower, and Takaya is the witness. The agreement? _

"Please, appease her grieving heart… cease her tears…"

_As for why Father Matsunaga said _"Kitazato-san… Minako-san…"_ before that? No, that's not a mistake. He was talking to Minako only, not to Takaya, although he did look at the two. Minako's the borrower. So it's her who has to keep the deal. Not Takaya. He said _Minako_, because by doing so, he puts Minako in a more familiar ground, as a person well known by him. Not everyone goes around calling people with their first name._

Chapter 9 

_The chama suffix, I was told, is the diminutive form of sama._

_The nii suffix came from niisan. _

_I had to dig long and hard to find reasons for Minako to actually forgives and understands. I myself can't really relate to that, what Naoe did, by whatever reason, is too hard to forgive for me. Then again, Minako, in Naoe's dream (in Exaudi Nos) took the form of Maria (never mind that Kagetora became Christ). One has to be an angel or a saint to be able to forgive so freely like that._

_There's a reason for Megumi. I swear there is._

_Like always, all mistakes are solely mine, as I have no beta-reader available right now._

_Thanks for reading, hopefully more will come soon!_

Tenno Himekawa Rie 


	11. Chapter 11

_Here's Lamentation: Chapter 10!_

_This is a crossover fic. You'll find people from other animes walking around, some merely passerby and some hold the key to the fic. But all in all, this is an MoB fic. The inserted characters happened because I don't know many people in MoB world..._

_sigh..._

_I've only watched the thirteen episodes of MoB, so I'm going to ignore everything that happened after (or before) that... I'll try not to ruin anything, though... _

_This happened a few weeks (or months) after the 'pier incident'... and after '99._

_R/R are greatly appreciated!_

Lamentation

**Chapter 10**

**Secrets**

Takaya couldn't help it.

Watching his Nobutsuna asleep seemed to have become his favorite pastime activity.

Quite annoying. He had a reputation to keep, damn it!

But he couldn't help it.

He got so used to being protected, he simply never realized that _protecting_ is quite a good feeling.

He could spend so much time counting Nobutsuna's calm breath. He'd been asleep for quite a long time. Watari said it's because he's recovering.

He wondered if Nobutsuna's dreaming.

Damn, he really couldn't help it.

He leaned over and kissed Nobutsuna's lips.

The older man woke up at the touch.

"Ohayo," Takaya said softly.

"Ohayo…"

And that smile melt Takaya's world.

M O B M O B M O B M O B M O B M O B M O B M O B M O B M O B

"You really know how to create chaos, man…"

Nagahide was sitting on a nearby sofa, Haruie beside him. Yuzuru had taken a chair and placed it beside the bed, while Takaya simply took his place on the bed, beside his sheepish lover, Miya on Naoe's other side. Naoe was sitting with a bunch of pillows stacked behind him, cushioning his back.

"Sorry."

"Just make sure you don't make it a habit," Miya admonished.

Naoe actually looked guilty.

"Hey, it's not like he wanted to be kidnapped anyway!" Takaya defended him.

"Takaya's right," Yuzuru added, "It's not Naoe-san's fault."

"I know that!" Nagahide smirked, "I just like seeing you squirm, Naoe."

Naoe smiled softly, "I know."

Haruie huffed, "Men. I don't know what to do with you."

"Uh… no offense, neesan, but… you were one yourself."

Takaya's cell phone rang.

Takaya looked at Naoe stupidly.

"Aren't you going to pick it up?" asked Naoe.

Takaya nodded, taking the cell from his pocket, "I just don't understand how anyone can call me at Meifu…"

Nagahide snickered, "The wonders of technology."

Takaya huffed, "Hello, Ougi speaking…"

He stopped. Frowning.

"You're right, that will pose a problem…"

He listened for a while. Shrugging. And choked.

"Come again!?!?"

"What is it?" asked Naoe, worried.

"Uh… are you sure? I mean," Takaya said carefully to the phone, "It's not gonna cause heart attack or something awful I will hate, right?"

Silence.

"You're right. It's really only a matter of time…"

More silence.

"Oh, I give up. Do what you want. Just don't do anything that will cause… bad things that'll make me go batshit on the world, okay?"

With that, he hung up, fuming a bit, "Scary. I mean, really-really scary… "

Nagahide smirked, "Oh, it's her."

"Yeah…"

"Who's _her_?" asked Naoe.

"Someone who wants to meet you…"

"You don't look happy about it," observed Haruie.

"How exactly must I feel about it, neesan? Pray tell. I'm half ecstatic and half cowering in fear, and that doesn't even cover half a quarter of what jumbled feeling I have right now."

"Who's this woman you're talking about?" asked Naoe again.

Before Takaya could open his mouth, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in!" Miya called out.

The door opened, and Tachibana Yoshiaki strode in.

"Hullo, Nobutsuna! Awake already, I see?"

Naoe looked at the newcomer with bewilderment on his face, "Yo… shiaki?"

"The one and only," Yoshiaki smirked.

Miya moved to an unoccupied chair, and Yoshiaki, after giving nods to the others in the room, flopped beside Naoe.

Naoe flinched and moved an inch away.

Yoshiaki, noticing this, frowned a bit, but held his tongue.

"I elected myself to be your 24-hours shadow, in case Mad Muraki tries to get you again," he said instead.

"I thought you're already my 24-hours shadow even before now?"

"Yeah… now I get paid for it," Yoshiaki smirked playfully.

Naoe shook his head, "You shouldn't bother."

"Like hell I shouldn't! That's my body you're using, mister."

"All the more reason you shouldn't be protecting me!"

"Oh, well…" Yoshiaki shrugged, "People often say I have weird logic."

Naoe looked at his body's soul, who grinned at him.

"I thought it was only a dream… I thought you were a dream…"

"Sorry, Nobutsuna. I'm not."

Naoe closed his eyes.

In an instant, Yoshiaki moved, his hand closing on Naoe's.

Like he expected, Naoe tried to shook his hand off, but he held on.

_Stop it, Nobutsuna._

_I'm tired…_

_What are you talking about?_

_This weak… being this weak…_

_Oh, shut up…_

_I hate myself…_

_You've been strong for 400 years. What's a few weeks of weakness compared to that?_

_I'm a protector, Yoshiaki. I'm a shield! I'm not supposed to be lying in bed like this!_

_No, you're not! That's why you're going to build up your strength back, with our help!_

_But…_

_You're one man, Nobutsuna. Only one man. You can't carry the burdens of the worlds on your shoulders alone. Granted, it's not even something you should carry in the first place._

_But I don't deserve to be helped like this! With all the sins I've done… Yoshiaki… I don't deserve this…_

_Don't deserve what? Our affections to you?_

_That… and everything good that happened to me… I'm supposed to be burned in hell… Or torn apart by Muraki… either way will be better…_

_Nobutsuna!_

_I don't deserve to live…_

_Why on earth are you saying these ridiculous things?_

_You saved me, Yoshiaki. By allowing me to use your body, you've saved me. Then you saved me again from that accident… then you dragged me out from the scape… then you saved me from Muraki… why?_

_You have to ask that?_

_I don't deserve to live, Yoshiaki… I deserve to die… in the worst possible ways, even…_

_Don't you dare judge yourself like that, Naoe Nobutsuna! _

_I don't deserve this life! This love, this body… Takaya-san…_

_Nobutsuna… you…_

_I don't deserve all of you…_

_You…_

_I don't deserve Takaya-san…_

"Baka."

Yoshiaki's voice was thick, either with anger, or with tears. Maybe both.

"If you dare think like that, again, Naoe Nobutsuna, I will be very mad."

"Sorry…" Naoe said softly.

Yoshiaki sighed and removed his hand, "You really are a handful…"

"You two have known each other," said Takaya calmly.

"I talked to him a bit after I dragged him out of that dreary beach of his, and I guess he heard me calling him when Muraki got him," Yoshiaki explained.

"I thought it's only a dream," Naoe added.

"You two look like brothers…" Yuzuru commented.

"We can be considered as twins, really…" Yoshiaki smirked.

Naoe simply smiled.

"You're not even surprised," Haruie sighed, "And I was hoping for a show."

"I'm not…" Naoe shook his head, "It's as if I'd known this from a long time ago…"

Nagahide shrugged, "Well… you've always been the more observant one …"

"What did Naoe-niisan think about?" asked Miya, "It didn't seem good."

"That's our secret," Yoshiaki winked at her.

The door opened again, this time without the prior knocks, and a small head peeked in.

"Um… can I come in?"

Takaya twitched.

"Ah, Megu, sure... Come in."

The little girl walked in, uncertainly. Her eyes roamed around the room, and looked at the man on the middle of the huge bed.

She looked at him, searchingly… longingly…

And then she ran, and jumped onto the bed, hugging Naoe tightly, crying her heart out.

Naoe, shocked to the core, could only hug back.

Yoshiaki smiled benignly at the two of them, while making a mental note that either Naoe didn't have the chance to flinch away or little girls didn't cause the same psychological reaction from Naoe.

Takaya leaned his back against the wall, looking at the crying girl, and sighed.

Soon, though, the tears stopped, and the little girl chose to cuddle in Naoe's arms instead.

"Sorry, but I was so scared… I kept on calling but you didn't answer, and I know you hurt so much…"

"Oh…" Naoe's eyes warmed, a smile graced his lips, "That was your voice… you're the one who guided them to me…"

"Yup!" the little one nodded, her face brightened as she looked directly at Naoe's face.

"Thank you."

"What are you talking about?" she chirped, "You don't have to thank me! I wouldn't be here if you didn't…"

"Megumi," Yoshiaki interjected smoothly, knowing that the secret of Megumi's conception was never a secret from her "Is your mother coming here?"

"Yeah. She was right behind me…"

She looked around toward the opened door.

Naoe looked at the same spot.

Takaya gulped.

Haruie shivered.

Nagahide felt goosebumps rising.

Yuzuru and Miya looked at each other, not understanding yet apprehensive.

Yoshiaki smiled, wondering how his partner in crime going to play this out.

Kitazato Minako walked in.

"There you are, Okaachama!"

Naoe's blood ran cold.

"… Minako?"

M O B M O B M O B M O B M O B M O B M O B M O B M O B M O B

"Where's Venus?"

Tatsumi looked up from the files he was browsing, "She went to see Naoe-san."

"Oh, really?" Watari yawned, "I bet there's a show there."

"Don't you dare try to bother them, Yutaka."

"I won't, Seii, I promise. I have enough trouble as it is," Watari indicated his computer, "MOTHER is being uncooperative today."

"Oh, really?" asked Tatsumi boredly.

"Yeah really."

For a while, only the sounds of keyboards ticks and shuffles of papers were heard. Then Watari sighed again.

"She's one hell of a woman, that Venus."

Tatsumi looked at him.

"That day, do you remember her, Seii? When she streaked off into the sky, blazing with determination, carrying a terminally wounded soul with her? Up to now, I could never manage to find out how she managed to force Naoe-san's soul into Tachibana's body."

"Well, that'll stay as a mystery," Tatsumi nodded, putting away his papers for awhile, "you're right, though. She really was remarkable. That's why Hakushaku took her as his right-hand."

"I hated her, once," Watari admitted, "When she first came into Ju-Oh-Cho 10 years ago. She looked so weak! So… unnecessary!"

"Lots of people hated her, if I remember correctly. Tsuzuki was the only one who didn't complain."

"Because she gave him an apple pie the first day," Watari laughed, "But you remembered her, didn't you?"

"I read her files before you did, Yutaka."

"Mmm… She was so different, too, that day. I thought she was one of those ass-licker bitches who got their positions by spreading their legs around, wearing that pink secretary outfit of hers, with that hairdo and that high heels."

"We found out the functions of the hairdo and the high heels soon after that, though…"

Watari laughed out loud, "Oh, yeah, we did, didn't we…"

Tatsumi smirked, "Well, I wouldn't want to have that heel embedded between my legs, or her hair pin between my eyes, that's for sure. Allow me to leave you for a moment, Yutaka… There's something I need to do soon."

***

"Okaachama, where were you?" asked Megu, jumping off the bed and ran toward her mother.

"I had to talk to Seishirou-san, and you ran so fast, I didn't have the time to call you."

"Ah…" Megu nodded, "Sorry, Okaachama… I just really wanted to see Otouchama…"

"It's okay, Megu," Minako smiled, "So, you've met Otouchama already, I see?"

"Mm-hm," Megu nodded again, this time enthusiastically, "Otouchama's okay now."

"Well, that's good, but you forgot something."

"I did?"

"Yes. You are supposed to be with Kazusa, helping Gushoushin-san in the library."

"Ack, I forgot!" She slapped her head, "Tatsu-nii will cut my pay! Sorry gotta go everyone see you later bye!"

With that she sprinted out, almost colliding with someone.

"That girl!" Sakurazuka Seishirou looked amused as the bundle of energy who almost collided with him went zipping down the hall, "Were you that handful when you're young, Kitazato-san?"

"No, but I bet her father was," Minako chuckled.

"Well, I come to collect you, Narita-san, Miya-chan," Seishirou smiled charmingly, "I promised to teach you some basic spiritual fighting skills, didn't I?"

"Oh, yeah…" Yuzuru stood from his chair. Miya stood also.

"The practice range is empty, so we can use it now."

"Okay. Oniisan, I want to try if I can really blast things from afar, okay?" Miya smiled cheekily, "I'll be back later."

"I want to try some defense, Takaya, Tsuzuki-san promised to teach me," added Yuzuru.

"Yeah, okay…" Takaya nodded, albeit hesitantly, "Is Subaru-san going with you?"

Subaru, all along quiet beside Seishirou, nodded, "I'll talk to you later, Yoshiaki. I need to speak to Kamui."

"… Hai…" Naoe said hesitantly.

"I'll take my leave now, too," Yoshiaki stood up and gave Naoe a gentle pat on the back, again noting that his kanshousha still flinched, "I have to do something. Oh, and… Venus?" here, Yoshiaki smirked, "You have a handful here."

"You tell me, Papa."

"Heh... Well, shall we?"

Yuzuru and Miya left with Yoshiaki, Seishirou and Subaru, leaving Minako in the room with the four Yashashuu.

"You're still one person short," Minako shook her head, "but we're fixing it now… Hopefully they can get a donor fast…"

"One person… Nagahide looked around, "You're kidding me! You're getting old man Irobe?"

"But he's still a kid!" Haruie protested.

"Meaning he can't use that body, but he can use one of our… donated ones… for lack of better words…" Minako sighed, "I really hope we get one which is good…"

"You're joking," Takaya looked at her, wide eyed.

"Sorry, Takaya, no. You need full members. We can only assist you as far as this. Yami Sengoku is your turf, not ours, we can only lend a hand, but it's your war."

"It's not supposed to be ours to begin with…" Haruie bit.

"Well, blame Kenshin," Minako sighed, "I want to rip him off myself, but he's nowhere around here for me to get my hands on him."

"Somehow, Minako… you ripping him off is not impossible for me anymore…" Nagahide shuddered.

"Damn hell it's not. If Yoshiaki didn't get him first, that was. Honestly, that damn old man, all the mess he caused…"

Naoe, ever observant and adaptive, looked around him, taking in his comrades' body gestures, and frowned.

"You're a shinigami," he concluded, looking at Minako, who simply looked back at him, amused.

"A kind of Shinigami, at least. That's obvious, isn't it?"

"You've met everyone else before…" he looked at around him, "you're the one who called Takaya-san just now…"

"Very good, Sherlock. Anything else you can add?"

"That girl's my child?"

"Our child, actually… Kazahara Megumi."

"Oh…"

"Anything else?"

Naoe sighed, suddenly leaning on his pillow tiredly, dejectedly, "You're here to kill me?"

Minako rolled her eyes, striding to sit on one of the vacated chairs, "Yoshiaki's right. You're a handful."

"What? You're not?"

"Naoe… if I wanted you dead, I wouldn't be risking my neck trying to retrieve you from Muraki. He'd do a job well done for me."

"Oh, he would…" Naoe shuddered.

"Not to mention all my efforts to drag you from that lousy dreary beach of yours…"

"Ha?"

"And all Yoshiaki and I did to keep you properly anchored in _his_ body…"

"Eh…"

"And I even let you use my body to save Kagetora! Honestly, Naoe… no gratitude at all for me?"

Naoe looked at Minako blankly.

"If this is some kind of joke, it's not funny," he finally said after a moment.

"Sorry, it's not," Nagahide shook his head.

"Oh. Then I guess I do owe you thanks," Naoe looked at Minako warily.

"You bet."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"And while we're at it, I guess I should say I'm sorry, too."

Minako shrugged, "That'll be better."

Naoe deflated even more, as if he'd had all of his strings cut.

"I'm sorry, Minako… After all I've done, you shouldn't have saved me."

"No, I guess I shouldn't…"

Minako moved closer to sit on the side of the bed.

"Naoe… 30 years ago, that night, do you remember what happened?"

Naoe blanched.

"Wrong question," Minako shook her head, berating herself, "Sorry, I guess I'm more tactless than I thought. I mean, before that, Naoe… do you remember what happened before that?"

"Before…?

"You went out alone, Naoe, then you came back before Nagahide came and said that Nobunaga's upon us. Kagetora told you to fly with me. What happened when you went out?"

"I… went out? When?"

Naoe scrunched his face, searching his memory. After a while, he looked at Minako helplessly.

"I couldn't have, Minako… Not with Kagetora-sama alone…"

"I guess you don't remember…" Minako nodded grimly, "That may explain a lot."

"Minako…" Haruie said confusedly, "What are you talking about?"

"Naoe was there when I returned to the safe house…" Nagahide said, searching his own memory, "Haruie some minutes after I did… old man Irobe was not there…"

"And I don't remember a thing," Takaya shrugged.

Minako nodded, "I'm sorry, people, but can you give me a minute with Naoe alone? I promise I won't maim him or anything."

"Sure," Takaya stood up and looked straight at Naoe, "Don't overdo anything, you hear me? Just relax, okay?"

"Mm… okay."

Takaya leaned forward and gave Naoe's lips a soft kiss, a simple caress, really, a touch that lasted only a second, but still means the world to Naoe. Then Takaya straightened, looking straight into Naoe's eyes, and Naoe found himself understanding his unspoken words.

_It's fine. Trust me._

Naoe nodded slowly, still unsure, but willing to believe anything Takaya says.

Minako noted that the flinching reflex Yoshiaki telepathically told her didn't occur.

Takaya turned around swiftly and walked toward the door.

"Come on, neesan, Chiaki," Takaya said, as he saw neither Haruie nor Nagahide made any movement to get out of the room.

Nagahide looked at Takaya and reluctantly complied. Haruie, though, looked as if she wouldn't budge out of her chair.

"Haruie."

That tone, so very much _Kagetora_, made Haruie stood up from her chair and followed Nagahide out without a word, though her eyes still showed her hesitation.

Takaya shut the door behind him with a click.

"Kagetora…"

"Don't, neesan…"

"But…"

Takaya looked at the door he'd just closed calmly, "She knows something we don't. Let her do what she wants. She won't hurt Naoe. I know she won't."

"It's good to know you trust her that much," a voice made them turned around.

Tatsumi Seiichirou stood behind them, looking at them intently with his sharp blue eyes.

"Come with me, please," he said, "There are some things that you should know."

M O B M O B M O B M O B M O B M O B M O B M O B M O B M O B

Inside the room, Minako sighed.

"While I thought that Kagetora-san might act overprotective over you, I didn't think that Haruie-san would be so mistrustful of me."

Naoe shrugged, "Truth be told, even if you're thinking of killing me now, I might not fight back."

"Yeah, right," Minako snorted, "With your position now, being Kagetora's current lover and still his protector, you'll kill me again if needed, I know you will."

Naoe looked down guiltily, "Am I really that bad of a person?"

"I wouldn't say _bad_, but I guess everyone have their own ways of thinking, and I can't fault yours even if I try."

Naoe raised his head, looking straight at Minako.

"You saved me," he said softly, "Why?"

"Beats me," Minako shrugged, "I just did. Reasons never bothered me before, it sure as hell's not bothering me now."

"Minako… What I did…"

"Was unforgivable, but I forgive all the same. I've had this conversation with Kagetora-san before, I know I did…"

"With… Takaya-san?"

"Yeah. He got scared when he saw me, probably thinking that I'd kill you or something."

"Normally, you would."

"Exactly, _normally_ I would. The problem is I'm not what you consider normal in any way."

"You…" Naoe couldn't hide his amusement, "Your choice of words is still as blunt as ever."

"I'm honest. I don't like buttering things with honeyed words. Although, in my case, Tatsumi-san said that my choice of words is _sharp_. Just like his."

"And you still speak in riddles."

"I have all of Tolkien and Lewis' writings memorized in my head, adore Gandalf too much, and dream of meeting Aslan. What do you expect?"

Naoe laughed softly.

"It's good to know you can still laugh," Minako smiled, "I was afraid you'd be far too damaged."

"You mean, after Muraki?" Naoe shuddered, "You… know what he want? What he… did?"

"I read Watari-san's report."

"I see…" again, Naoe lowered his head, "God… and I thought _I _was sick…"

Minako shook her head, "Muraki's sickness is another kind of sickness. I'm surprised you didn't just give him the spell."

"No…" Naoe mumbled, "There's no way I'd let him have it. If he has that spell… if _anyone else_ have that spell…"

Minako nodded, "Well… I still need to know something."

"Yes?"

"Thirty years ago."

Naoe looked at her blankly.

"I'll tell you what I know. Before Kagetora told you to fly with me, there were you, me, and him in our shelter. Then you went out, and return an hour later, saying that Nobunaga's found out our hiding place. Then Nagahide came, then Haruie. Kagetora told you to fly with me. You argued, Nagahide chose to kill me while Haruie offered to take me away, but Kagetora adamantly entrusted me to you. You and I flew to yet another shelter, and the night after that… well, you know."

"Thank you for not straightly saying that I raped you."

"I was trying not to be blunt, thank you."

"And I still don't remember going out."

"My God, you were paying attention to what I say."

Naoe sighed, a ghost of smile, albeit bitter, on his lips.

"If things didn't happen the way it did, Minako… I really think we'd be great friends…"

Minako answered with a smile of her own, although more genuine, understanding, "Oh, I think we can still be friends, My Lord Nobutsuna…"

Naoe cocked his head, "You never called me that before."

Minako chuckled, "I guess not."

Naoe looked at her, frowning, "You… know something we don't."

Minako nodded, "Yes, Naoe… I do. But I won't tell."

Naoe shrugged, "Fine. I won't ask."

Feeling tired all over, he closed his eyes and leaned back on the mountain of pillows behind his back.

Minako stood up and placed a hand on Naoe's forehead. Again, that involuntary flinch occurred.

Minako pretended she didn't notice, "You're warm. Come on, let's get you comfortable and you can rest some more, okay?"

"The only thing I've done all along is sleep," Naoe complained, but he allowed Minako to move the pillows and arranged them so he can lie down.

"You were still healing after massive physical injuries and mental fatigue due to the accident and your stray in your dreamscape, then Mad Doctor got you in his spell and pumped who knows how much what into your bloodstream, we're not sure we got all of them flushed. Not to mention what else he did to you… Do your self a favor and rest, My Lord."

"You're still calling me that," Naoe complained, "I'm not!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Lay down."

Naoe did so, and soon was on the verge of sleep, but was still fighting it.

"I have nothing to do now," Minako smiled, "so I'll just stay here and wait until someone return, okay?"

Naoe nodded gratefully, "Thanks, Minako…"

Minako reached out and closed Naoe's eyes, "Sleep, My Lord."

Naoe soon drifted off to the land of Morpheus. Minako stayed there, sitting by his bed, counting his breath.

Something that she never did before.

A single tear ran down her face, followed by another…

Forgive me, My Lord Nobutsuna…

She shook her head, roughly wiping her tears with the back of her hand.

TBC

**Some author's note:**

_Hullo, another post after a long hiatus! Hopefully it won't get boring, the story…_

_Like always, all mistakes are solely mine, as I have no beta-reader available right now._

_Thanks for reading, hopefully more will come soon!_

Tenno Himekawa Rie


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